EngineOwning cheat-makers ordered to pay hefty damages to Activision
Co-author of the Axios Gaming newsletter, Stephen Totilo posted on Twitter that two makers of Call of Duty cheat software, Manuel Santiago and Ignacio Gayduchenko, have been ordered to pay hefty damages fees to Activision for creating and distributing cheats for multiple Activision-Blizzard games, including Warzone 2.
In a judgment on Feb. 13, 2023, Santiago and Gayduchenko were ordered to pay Activision $1 million and $2 million, respectively. The judgment also bans the two from creating and selling cheats to the public that exploit, manipulate, and gain unfair advantages within a variety of games, including CoD: Vanguard, Warzone Caldera, MW2, and others.
EngineOwning continues to sell cheats despite the lawsuit
EngineOwning, a website that sold cheats for popular video games, has been caught selling cheats for Call of Duty, including wallhacks and aimbots. These cheats have been available for purchase on their website for several years, allowing players to gain an unfair advantage over their opponents. It is unclear how much profit EngineOwning made from the sale of these cheats, but it is believed to be significant.
In response, Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty, filed a lawsuit against EngineOwning in January 2022, alleging copyright infringement and unfair competition. The lawsuit seeks to shut down EngineOwning’s website and recover damages for the harm caused by their cheating software. Despite the legal action taken against them, EngineOwning continued to advertise their cheats on their website as recently as the beginning of February 2023.
Hackers Persist in Ranked Play
Cheating has been a persistent problem for Activision, particularly in Warzone, which is a free-to-play game. The game has seen a significant rise in cheating since its release in 2020, and Activision has been battling the issue ever since.
Despite several efforts, hackers continue to be a problem in Call of Duty, especially in Modern Warfare 2’s new ranked play mode which was added to the game in 2022, allowing players to compete against each other in a skill-based matchmaking system. The addition of ranked play has made cheating an even more significant issue, as some players are willing to do whatever it takes to win.
Activision Combats Cheating
To combat the hacking epidemic, Activision has implemented an anti-cheat system called RICOCHET. The system employs a range of techniques, such as machine learning algorithms and advanced detection tools, to detect and ban cheaters from the game.
Activision has implemented several measures, including stricter penalties for cheaters, more frequent bans, and enhanced anti-cheat measures. These measures have had some success, but cheating remains a problem.
The judgment against Santiago and Gayduchenko could set a precedent for future cases against cheat makers. Activision has previously filed lawsuits against other cheat makers and was successful in obtaining judgments against them for their actions.
Conclusion
The judgment against Santiago and Gayduchenko for creating and distributing cheats for Call of Duty and other Activision-Blizzard games serves as a warning to other cheat makers. Activision’s continued efforts to combat cheating with its anti-cheat system and legal action demonstrate the company’s commitment to providing a fair and enjoyable gaming experience for all players. However, the issue of cheating continues to be a problem for the gaming industry as a whole, and it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be in the long run.
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