FBI, NCsoft Close Down Computer Game Operation.Year-Long Investigation Results in Raids in Multiple Search and Seizure search and seizure In law enforcement, an exploratory investigation of a premises or a person and the taking into custody of property or an individual in the interest of gaining evidence of unlawful activity or guilt. Warrants Individuals Questioned in Unauthorized Game Server Scheme AUSTIN, Texas -- NCsoft Corporation (KRX KRX Korea Exchange (stock market) KRX Korean Recycler's Exchange :036570.KS): FBI agents, working in conjunction with officials from NCsoft's([R]) North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. business, successfully closed down a computer game operation alleged to be reaping profits by providing a fraudulent service to its players. The operation was closed down after multiple raids and interviews were conducted in various cities from California to Virginia. Federal search warrants were served on owners of L2Extreme who were also questioned during the raid. L2Extreme was providing its users with unauthorized service and code for NCsoft's online computer game, Lineage([R]) II. The warrants enabled officials to halt L2Extreme's operations while collecting further evidence in the course of the investigation. The FBI estimates L2Extreme has up to 50,000 active users on its service. NCsoft estimates that monetary losses and damages from the operation are costing NCsoft millions of dollars per year. L2Extreme advertised on its website, www.l2extreme.com, that more than half million registered users had subscribed to play. "Operations like this essentially are defrauding customers by stealing from companies like NCsoft," said Matt Esber, NCsoft North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. general counsel. "In the end those losses impact our customer support, product development, operational areas and ultimately they impact our player communities, most of which are trying to play games legitimately. This group in particular was downloading our version of the Lineage II Lineage II: The Chaotic Throne (Korean:리니지 2) is a fantasy massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for the PC, and a prequel set 150 years before [2] Lineage. software from our servers, costing us close to a million dollars in realized bandwidth costs during the period it was operational. "We've taken this action because we strongly believe in defending the intellectual property rights that we've worked so hard to create. We're extremely pleased that the FBI has worked with us so diligently to bring this particular case to its current state and we want our customers to understand that we will continue to fight similar operations in the future in order to maintain the integrity of all NCsoft games." The investigation into the L2Extreme operation is ongoing. About NCsoft: NCsoft North America is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is a wholly owned subsidiary Wholly Owned Subsidiary A subsidiary whose parent company owns 100% of its common stock. Notes: In other words, the parent company owns the company outright and there are no minority owners. of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. NCsoft, with its own development and publishing offices in Texas and California, also works with other NCsoft subsidiaries and third-party developers throughout North America to develop and publish innovative online entertainment software products. The company has successfully launched multiple online titles in the last three years and continues to support its franchises that include Lineage/Lineage II, City of Heroes([R])/City of Villains([R]), Guild Wars This article is for the Guild Wars series. For the first release of the series, see Guild Wars Prophecies. Guild Wars is an episodic series of multiplayer online role-playing games, for the Microsoft Windows operating system. ([R])/Guild Wars Factions([TM]) and Auto Assault Auto Assault was a massively multiplayer online game (or MMOG), developed by NetDevil and published by NCsoft. It combines vehicular combat with role-playing elements, allowing the player to explore a post-apocalyptic future in customizable cars, motorcycles, semis, and ([R]). More information about NCsoft can be found at http://www.plaync.com. NCsoft, the interlocking interlocking /in·ter·lock·ing/ (-lok´ing) closely joined, as by hooks or dovetails; locking into one another. interlocking Obstetrics A rare complication of vaginal delivery of twins; the 1st NC logo, PlayNC, Lineage, Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions Guild Wars Factions is a computer game released in 2006 by ArenaNet and is the first stand-alone campaign expanding on Prophecies, the original Guild Wars game. Factions introduces the player to the continent of Cantha where two warring factions, Luxon and Kurzick, battle for , Auto Assault and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. City of Heroes, City of Villains and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cryptic Studios, Inc. and NCsoft Corporation. Cryptic Studios is a trademark of Cryptic Studios, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion