Slashdot Mirror
Gamer Sues MMORPG After Losing Items
xneilj writes "According to Ananova.com, a Chinese gamer is believed to be suing Korean-based JC Entertainment, after losing in-game items in the PC MMO title RedMoon Online. As well as the return of his lost items, he is also seeking over $1200 for 'mental anguish'." The article explains: "Li, from Beijing, had built up his stock of virtual weaponry while playing RedMoon over the last two years... When he discovered all of his awarded equipment had disappeared, he contacted the provider for help, but the company refused to take any responsibility for the loss."
Commercial software vendors should be held liable for bugs in their code.
And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
I think it would be funny for an MMORPG to mess with their whiny users sometime. Something like roving bandits that steal items when you are asleep in an inn. It would really drive home the point that you don't "own" anything in the game.
I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
Generally, I believe that in these situations, we should let the market decide what has value. However, I really don't like the idea of game developers getting sued.
My Blog Sucks.
That is an addict.
Overstating importance.
It is just a game.
I used to bulls-eye womp-rats in my pants
I've been playing a lot of the mainstream US-based MMOG's over the past few years. And every time a gamer doesn't get their way, they yell "I'M GONNA SUE VERANT/MYTHIC/ORIGIN/TURBINE/SOE!" But they never do, and then wonder why noone else does.
"OMG The server has been down for 10 minutes I'M GONNA SUE!!! Why hasn't someone started a Class Action Lawsuit yet???"
Because EVERYONE who wants to start one always says the same thing. "Why doesn't someone else start one?"
It's good to now see that someone actually had the balls to back up their words with a lawyer, and possibly players can be pointed to the outcome of this...Because I'm pretty sure it's gonna be thrown out of court really really fast. (Yes, I realize this is not a US or even North American lawsuit. I'm just commenting on the principal of actually doing what you threaten...Soemthing we rarely see gamers do, anywhere.)
I thought the US was the only country where the laws were screwed up enough to allow this kind of silliness.
You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
As the user logs in, monstrous soudns eminate from his machine. Once his avatar arrives in teh virtual world, he is greeted by level 10 demilawyers from the lands of ligitation.
"We shall smite you, puny game player for blasphemous lies that our gods have misplaced your goods"
User's avatars is dismembered by the mighty lawyers, and they perform the dance of death on the player's avatar's parts.
*** Your account has been deleted ***
*** Have a pleasant day ***
The article gives no information on this; thus the guy gets no sympathy from me.
According to Ananova.com, a Chinese gamer is believed to be suing Korean-based JC Entertainment... over things that don't exist. This story has no substance. That's comparable to saying, "The Lochness Monster is rumored to have eaten a ghost."
Moving on, licenses for games like that always have a clause protecting them from this. Something like, "Sew and Sow, Inc. cannot be held responsible for lost or stolen items. Press OK if you agree to these terms."
What's the point of jumping of the bridge? He'll probably just respawn somewhere else... probably with no items at all ... probably with 0 experience, a dagger and 100 gold coins ...
Gee, I've never played a MMORPG, but I wonder if in the service agreement(s) there are provisions for these kind of things.
It's a fact that the whole service is complex and relies on computers (just like your Bank ATM), computers FAIL (and always will, no matter what). However, you never try to sue your bank if the ATM is offline. (You might sue if they wipe out your money)
Who knows, maybe they should guard the db of items just as a bank guards the computers that have your checking account balance.
On the flip side, it may not make business sense. (Until they figure out the best model for online gaming... but that will always depend on the game!)
The fact that the guy is basically wasting time (ironic, because we do so by reading slashdot also...) by playing the game, does not mean that it's fair that he should lose 2 years worth of 'work' because of a glitch, someone should be able to restore his character stats. The nature of the game demanded the guy to work towards building your items. (We do the same playing RPG's: building levels, buying expensive armor, spells, whatever... it takes time)
Any ideas?
...pretentious apathetic-reductionistic opinion, but... The guy's invested time and money, and they've fleeced him by their negligence of backups. He has a right to complain.
Maybe they can ruin it more realisticly by holding court inside the MMORPG.
If Chaos Theory has taught us anything, it's that we must kill all the butterflies.
I'm suing the makers of Nethack for killing my little pet doggy.
It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
If you are suffering mental anguish from losing something in a game that is supposed to be for fun you need to find a new hobby.
I hope this twit gets laughed out of court, I really can't sympathize with him. Its his own fault for holding his imaginary items in such high esteem.
What next? People suing Nintendo because they can't beat super mario brothers? Suing Microsoft because of mental angusih suffered while playing online and getting owned at Mech Assualt? Should I sue Lucasarts because my KOTOR save game got ruined after 30 hours and I had to start over? Where does it end?
On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
I see people here saying he invested his time and money into the game and lost it. I totally disagree. When you make an investement you are placing resources somewhere that they will grow into something better for you. This guy didn't do that. He spent some money and time playing a game. It was pure entertainment, nothing more.
Now he has paid for a service. That service has failed to live up to his expectations. If you have a magazine subscription and the magazine takes a direction you don't like do you sue them? No. You either don't renew your subscription and move on or you cancel it right away and ask for the rest of your money back. Yes the company shouldn't have ignored him but when they gave him the brush off he should have packed up and left.
In Republican America phones tap you.