Activision Hires Online Detective to Take Down Warfare 2 Pirate

The investigation began based on something the person could not really have been arrested for. Them finding out he was selling on the side I guess is why they were justified. If they had arrested him just for cracking the protection then thats the law reaching to far. They should leave it to activision to sue and set a court date in that case.

Agreed with the opinion frome above, I think the fact that he was selling copies wasn't proven (due to the article), maybe he had an attempt to sell them, but didn't succeed so far.

As for cracking protection and infrigment of copyright, this can be directly a clause.

He stole, he got caught, it is a crime, internet or not. He had potential to cause millions of dollars in losses, and people like this are the reason gaming company's have to cut corners and fire good coders. Hope he gets the maximum for the offense, and I hope the law starts to change so more pirates are easier to catch and persecute.

Its "prosecute" and in his case you might be right. Most pirates aren't in the same group as this guy though as they don't sell games they download. Even if they do I don't think the law should criminalize and get particularly involved in what looks like a civil suit.

The internet I guess is a grey area and piracy is as well. On one hand you could look at the extreme antipirates as being ridiculously mean folks who don't think anyone should enjoy something unless they can afford it or you could think of pirates as being complete criminals who should be jailed. Either way I don't care as long as the courts don't go too far into bending for the wealthy companies and their interests.

Calling this piracy is a bit of a joke, he was an actual thief, selling actual stolen goods.

yesterday while I was out and about I saw a stack of MW2 XBox 360 games in a local shop.. I was dumbfounded and actually confronted the sales man.. I ended up in an argument that they are cheating their customers but in fact the game was real.

Selling stuff like this is actually a crime against the companies, the so said pirates and society in general. but the concept (without the selling that is) is no more the cause of corner cutting or people loosing their jobs than corporate greed. but some would say that's a matter of opinion.

Have you ever read/watched 1984 ? you should (a bit far fetched but a good glimpse of what can happen) an reconsider "and I hope the law starts to change so more pirates are easier to catch and persecute." ... b/c once you invite big brother to your home he's there to stay whether you like it or not.

Ken, this has nothing to do with 1984 and the gov't implanting a chip in your head - it has to do to prosecuting a thief. Besides 'big brother' already has access to your home if they feel it is 'necessary' so to speak, with the Patriot Act.

He was advertising TO sell. That doesn't mean he did or didn't. But it does mean he was trying. And people that assume pirates do this because they cannot afford it are blind. Pirates sell for profit - which the article says was his intent, he was advertising to sell and profit from other people's years of work.

i think its terrible what he's done! and definitely should take full blame for this. i'm pretty sure 90% of people on the internet have downloaded at least one song or film at least once in there life. but i never do it with games! takes far to much time for these people to make them.

why can't people with xboxs wait the extra week us ps3 users have to =)

My friend who bought a burned copy of this game for his modded X-Box just told me that his friend that sold it to him just got his X-Box GamerTag Blacklisted for playing the pirated CoD:MW2 I was told he didn't play it online either to get blacklisted. Apparently he jumped online for madden an when his X-Box connected to the internet I think all his Trophies or whatver X-Box users get for playing the game showed up and he got blacklisted! Beware!!!

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PlAyStAtIoN 4 LiFe!

Playing any game before launch will definitely flag your console. Someone has said on another forum that they sometimes have a whitelist of persons who have been sent the game and if anyone not on that list is shown to have played it, you are flagged. Its easy to record your offline activities on the console and then update that information to the live servers once you go online.

@jay18miscaif
making profit of other people's work is indeed a shame and a crime no doubt about it. What I was trying to say I guess is be careful of what you wish for with "and I hope the law starts to change so more pirates are easier to catch and persecute." as it might come true. Google ACTA and copyright ...

plus pirating may be a big problem but it is no more a reason to cut corners that corporate greed. (just check the salary of top executives of the major publisher without the end of year bonus, IMHO if there is corner cutting to be done they should start with that).

He should have never tried to make a profit out of pirating.. It never works out well.

Stealing and the act to try and steal are both held resposible to the same crime. If I were to punch someone in the face, Id be charged with assult, BUT if I "try" and miss, I could be held reliable of the same charge if found on mensa-rea/actus-rea (intent of thought and actions).

So when they say he was going to sell thousands, and I were the judge, the intent would be how many copies of this game he had and how many people confess to his purchese and many other reasons.

They made it seem like he's a drug lord.. :rolleyes:

Yea that is plain theft... so is piracy but to be honest they basically told everyone to pirate it with teh whole screwing over PC Gamers... yes im a PC gamer but I also bought the game in hopes of dedi servers SOMEDAY.