Police and Tencent collaborate to seize "world's biggest" video game cheating operation

[BadThad]

Cheaters should be flagged & can only play on cheater servers... with each other.

Secondly, Hackers and cheat developers should have their fingers caught off. As there is no need for them to exist anymore within the digital realm, let them try cheating at outdoor sports... where punishment is immediate.

As I recall, there was such a system, I think it was with an old COD game. If the anti-cheat software detected something client side, it'd put that player into a "cheater server" where the scumbags just automatically killed each other. LOLOLOL

 

[Avro Arrow]

Something doesn't quite add up here...
"Considering they earned a total of $764 million before shutting down,
cheat coding sure looks like a profitable business."
and
"During the bust, the police apprehended $46 million worth of assets, including numerous sports and luxury cars."
764 - 46 = 718

Soooo.... where's the other $700,000,000??? If they spent it all on "hookers and blow", they wouldn't have to worry about police or jail because they'd all be long dead.

 

[lensaholic]

"the group was making around $10,000 a day"
"Considering they earned a total of $764 million"
It would take more than 209 years to earn $764 million if you're making around $10,000 a day.

 

[brucek]

I understand lots of people hate cheaters... I’ve found that this generally applies to people who aren’t able to cheat themselves.... I’ve had people moaning about how terrible cheating is in certain games only to pay for “mods” for some other game.

I really hope this is not some half-baked rationalization where you are attempting to justify cheating as an earned privilege because the cheater paid a few bucks or installed a DLL file. And please, it's not like those are special skills that only pros have vs. regular players who "aren't able" to do that.

 

[Austinturner]

For the game in question, it would be a simple matter to scan for any items that are illegal on any account and ban that account - and the Apple/Gamecenter ID or IP address associated with it.

Instead, the company bans a few - but never by Apple/Gamecenter ID or IP Address.... so the banned player simply copies their file to a new account and goes on with perhaps 30 minutes of inconvenience...

The obvious reason is: if they actually banned all the cheaters, they would cripple their player count... and lose tons of money from their advertisers...

Ok well then I agree that company seems like it is not really trying.

 

[Austinturner]

"the group was making around $10,000 a day"
"Considering they earned a total of $764 million"
It would take more than 209 years to earn $764 million if you're making around $10,000 a day.

But, but, big numbers are scary! $700m in revenue in just a couple of years with only a handful of people would also make them a significant mid size tech company.

 

[Squid Surprise]

I really hope this is not some half-baked rationalization where you are attempting to justify cheating as an earned privilege because the cheater paid a few bucks or installed a DLL file. And please, it's not like those are special skills that only pros have vs. regular players who "aren't able" to do that.

Not justifying it... just stating whats happening... cheating might be “wrong”, but it still happens...and as long as it’s possible, people will pay others to cheat for them.
This doesn’t just apply to video games - pretty much every activity has cheaters... ask Major League Baseball...

 

[Joey Rakas]

Depressing that so many people buy cheats. I want to believe that maybe there are some cultural differences involved here, although that could be naive.

Depressing that so many people buy cheats. I want to believe that maybe there are some cultural differences involved here, although that could be naive.

It would be naïve to disagree with you lol. Definitely a culture issue overall or what a politically correct person would say "culture difference", though not denying cheaters can be found globally. It only just seems to worsen as more and more people are playing video games. Talk about a pandemic. Regardless this is still awesome news! Hopefully other cheat providers will suffer this same fate sooner than later. this part from the article blew my mind "Moreover, the police also apprehended $20 million worth of cars from one individual and $26 million in assets from another" Talk about living the life there, for basically producing nothing useful for humanity. Such is life lol.

 

[Namtrooper]

Cheaters never profit.... Unless they do.

 

[m3tavision]

Generally the criminal activity is the DISTRIBUTION and SELLING of the cheats.... I don’t think anyone has gone to jail just for cheating.

I understand lots of people hate cheaters... I’ve found that this generally applies to people who aren’t able to cheat themselves.... I’ve had people moaning about how terrible cheating is in certain games only to pay for “mods” for some other game.

YOU.... are the reason cheating is so bad.

Most humans don't need to cheat, because they love to challenge and tests themselves. Those who are cheating, are in denial and NEED cheats, to game effectively. Their ego can not take reality, so they try and alter reality to suite their fragile needs...

By stealing Other's gameplay.... and using other Players, as fodder for their amusement and mock play.

Cheaters in multiplayer games, should have their fingers cut off... period.

 

[Squid Surprise]

YOU.... are the reason cheating is so bad.

Most humans don't need to cheat, because they love to challenge and tests themselves. Those who are cheating, are in denial and NEED cheats, to game effectively. Their ego can not take reality, so they try and alter reality to suite their fragile needs...

By stealing Other's gameplay.... and using other Players, as fodder for their amusement and mock play.

Cheaters in multiplayer games, should have their fingers cut off... period.

Well, that’s all well and good... I never said I’m part of this... I’m just stating reasons for why cheating happens.

No matter what happens in life, there are those who play fair, and those who don’t.

Guess what? Just like gaming, LIFE isn’t fair!

People cheat - it’s human nature. SHOULD they? No... but they do...

So you can whine all you want... or maybe just accept it... or... maybe DO something about it? Like investigate WHY some people cheat and attempt to deliver a product that doesn’t encourage / allow such cheating.

 

[VectorVortec]

They were making and selling code that would modify the game, I bet their hacks include a bunch of original game code as well as their own changes and that would mean they copied and then sold copyrighted software code.

The tweet said jail time as a penalty.

What if their code didn't break copyright laws; does China still jail them?

 

[Austinturner]

What if their code didn't break copyright laws; does China still jail them?

I’m not aware of any other chinese specific laws so they might have broken some other law I guess.

 

[Knot Schure]

I’m not aware of any other chinese specific laws so they might have broken some other law I guess.

I work in China. It almost doesn't matter what they haul you in court for - conviction rates are like 99%.

 

[Rdmetz]

Well, that’s all well and good... I never said I’m part of this... I’m just stating reasons for why cheating happens.

No matter what happens in life, there are those who play fair, and those who don’t.

Guess what? Just like gaming, LIFE isn’t fair!

People cheat - it’s human nature. SHOULD they? No... but they do...

So you can whine all you want... or maybe just accept it... or... maybe DO something about it? Like investigate WHY some people cheat and attempt to deliver a product that doesn’t encourage / allow such cheating.

Do something about it? Isn't that exactly what thus is about? Of course we are going to try and do something about it no one's wants to just let them ruin it for everyone else.

It doesn't mean can be stopped completely or permanently but it's always worth the effort to try and stop losers like this.

In person maybe we don't cut off their fingers but breaking them everytime they are caught wouldn't be a problem for me.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Do something about it? Isn't that exactly what thus is about? Of course we are going to try and do something about it no one's wants to just let them ruin it for everyone else.

It doesn't mean can be stopped completely or permanently but it's always worth the effort to try and stop losers like this.

In person maybe we don't cut off their fingers but breaking them everytime they are caught wouldn't be a problem for me.

I’m willing to bet that within a few weeks, cheating numbers will be the same or greater than before this “epic” bust...

Kind of like how drug abuse is unaffected by police seizures...

 

[m3tavision]

Well, that’s all well and good... I never said I’m part of this... I’m just stating reasons for why cheating happens.

No matter what happens in life, there are those who play fair, and those who don’t.

Guess what? Just like gaming, LIFE isn’t fair!

People cheat - it’s human nature. SHOULD they? No... but they do...

So you can whine all you want... or maybe just accept it... or... maybe DO something about it? Like investigate WHY some people cheat and attempt to deliver a product that doesn’t encourage / allow such cheating.

Yeah, do you mean like cut off their fingers...?

Like make cheat software and log to everyone who buys it, then go and cut off their fingers... so funny!

 

[Squid Surprise]

Yeah, do you mean like cut off their fingers...?

Like make cheat software and log to everyone who buys it, then go and cut off their fingers... so funny!

Yeah... get on that... while you’re at it, cut off the fingers (or perhaps another digit?) of anyone soliciting sex for money, drug user, etc...

You can whine and b1tch, but in the end, nothing changes.

 

[m3tavision]

Yeah... get on that... while you’re at it, cut off the fingers (or perhaps another digit?) of anyone soliciting sex for money, drug user, etc...

You can whine and b1tch, but in the end, nothing changes.

Those people^ are harming themselves willingly... and NOT involving you or me...! They are not stealing anything from me....!

But if I invited someone into my house and they start lifting things and placing them into their pockets, in front of me.... while pretending I didn't see, or notice it...?

And they do it at every houses they visit... because they are so brazen and think it is no big deal...? <--- cut of their fingers and it becomes a "big deal" that they now respect..!

 

[Puiu]

Let me guess, they made $750 million and what they seized will amount to maybe $50 million, so where's the other $700 million. Spend a few years in jail and come back to riches beyond imagination.

That's just assets (cars, homes, etc) from 2 people. The bust involves tens or hundreds of people.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Those people^ are harming themselves willingly... and NOT involving you or me...! They are not stealing anything from me....!

But if I invited someone into my house and they start lifting things and placing them into their pockets, in front of me.... while pretending I didn't see, or notice it...?

And they do it at every houses they visit... because they are so brazen and think it is no big deal...? <--- cut of their fingers and it becomes a "big deal" that they now respect..!

Really?! So you’re saying that drug dealers and pimps aren’t as harmful to society as people who sell game cheats?

I think you might want to check your priorities...

 

[Markoni35]

"The subscription service offered by the group cost between $1.50 a day, up to $26 a month. "
Please review your math...

Just wanted to say the same. From $45 a month UP TO $26 a month. The less you pay the better the service? A bunch of Robin Hoods.

 

[kmo911]

Best way to not cheat online is offline cheating. WEMOD we loven it. so using a tool inside a car giveing you 12 % more engine speed would be cheating in china ? we cant see if this is a real game or just real game anymore.

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