A preview build of Deus Ex Human Revolution, containing a rough version of the early sections of the upcoming game, was leaked onto torrent sites in late May.
While publishers Square Enix have publicly been cool with the release, even quietly encouraging of it, behind the scenes they’ve been hunting down those responsible.
Now, believing they’ve found them, they’re taking fifteen Italian nationals to court.
As part of court filings issued last month in Washington, Square Enix accuse the fifteen of logging into the servers where the demo was hosted using the access information of an Italian games magazine (GMC), where they found the preview build of the game, copied it and uploaded it onto the internet.
GMC doesn’t appear to be implicated, as the case says the intrusion came from an IP address which had nothing to do with the magazine or the reviewer who had access to the files.
For its troubles, Square Enix is claiming the theft constitutes copyright infringement, as well as claiming damages (“in excess of $US5000″).
New Case: Deus Ex Preview Leaked [Patent Arcade]
Ceilingcat
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 3:43 PMPushing it trying to claim $5k in damages for an incomplete build of a game.
Braaains
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 3:52 PMThey easily would have spent more than $5k just on the investigation.
Jack j
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 4:22 AMOerhaps they mistyped it from 50k
SOX
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 4:03 PMIn excess of $5000 split 15 ways? Sounds like a piss weak slap on the wrist lol.
Braaains
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 4:24 PMIt says in EXCESS of $5000. It doesn’t say how much in excess. Could be $5,000,000,000 for all we know.
Reign
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 6:22 PMCommon sense (or anchoring) says that if they say over $5000, it means around $5000.
Benjamin Sutton
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 6:33 PMIsn’t $5000 the threshold for small claims vs….. whatever the other side of that is…. big claims?
I’m just reminiscing about Judge Judy, with $5000 being the maximum punishment they dealt out.
Thermal Ions
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 6:59 PMSquare Enix might want to consider not saving their preview build on servers they’ve given others outside the company access to also. Seems like a pretty stupid thing to do. Doesn’t absolve the 15 of course.
Cpt. Pajama Shark
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 10:12 PMI’ll bet it’s over 9000
Brimm
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 11:00 PM5 grand….hardly seems worth it and won’t put off hackers trying the same in future…
Jason Oliver
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:10 AMThey should pay those guys $5000 for all the free/good publicity they’ve generated with those videos! “Weeell Sheeeeit!” I never played the original and this was not on my radar but I cannot resist me some anti-social punch-ups
PiratePete
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:18 AMAfter playing the first few hours of the leak I opened up my steam and pre ordered it. I thought it was a great demo.
ben
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 5:58 AMThis leak was the best PR they could have hoped for. They should be paying them for the kindness.
attila
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 10:00 AMAs noted, the $5k may just be a threshold amount they need to specify to get the matter in a particular Court. The final amount they actually want may not be specified for some time after filing.
Doraiya
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:38 PMI hope the assholes get put in crippling debt for the rest of their lives.
I’m over hackers.