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Dutch Supreme Court Sees Game Objects As Goods

Posted by Soulskill on from the you-stole-my-cloudsong dept.

thrill12 writes "The Dutch Supreme Court ruled on January 31st that the taking away of possessions in the game Runescape from a 13-year-old boy, who was threatened with a (real) knife, was in fact theft because the possessions could be seen as actual goods. The highest court explained this not by arguing it was software that was copied, but by stating that the game data were real goods acquired through 'effort and time investment,' and 'the principal had the actual and exclusive dominion of the goods' — up until the moment the other guy took them away, that is."

16 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. MOD PARENT DOWN... oops, it's the story by LostCluster · · Score: 5, Informative

    They left out an important fact in the summary... he didn't lose the things under the rules of the game, he lost them because the suspect threatened him with a knife. This puts it in the same category as "give me your password or else" threats. Maybe robbery might be the wrong charge to give him, but there's got to be something illegal about gaining game objects by real-world threats.

    1. Re:MOD PARENT DOWN... oops, it's the story by ForgedArtificer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Never mind that, there's got to be something illegal about threatening someone with a knife.

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    2. Re:MOD PARENT DOWN... oops, it's the story by Kenja · · Score: 5, Funny

      Pft... knives are only like a D6 damage. Not much of a threat.

      --

      "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
    3. Re:MOD PARENT DOWN... oops, it's the story by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, it is when you're his age. The kid only has half hit dice!

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    4. Re:MOD PARENT DOWN... oops, it's the story by CanHasDIY · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Never mind that, there's got to be something illegal about threatening someone with a knife.

      True that.

      The real story here: how fucked up is the world that kids are threatening to shiv each other over goddamn digital trinkets? What's next, kids killing each other over Xbox games?

      ... Aw, fuck.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    5. Re:MOD PARENT DOWN... oops, it's the story by DM9290 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Pft... knives are only like a D6 damage. Not much of a threat.

      Thats a big knife! I think you're thinking of a short sword.

      --
      No one has a right to their *own* opinion. They have a right to the TRUTH.
    6. Re:MOD PARENT DOWN... oops, it's the story by mwvdlee · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I rarely see any of my monthly wages in cash, it just gets added to the "total" number in my bank account.
      In practice, money isn't much more tangible than in-game goods and most would say taking away money is theft, even if it was taken from a bank account.

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    7. Re:MOD PARENT DOWN... oops, it's the story by CimmerianX · · Score: 5, Informative

      Knives are a 1d4 roll my friend.

    8. Re:MOD PARENT DOWN... oops, it's the story by squidflakes · · Score: 3, Funny

      Whelp, there goes EVE.

  2. Discontinued service by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    OK, what happens when a game company decides to shut down their MMO server and remove all your objects of "value"?

    1. Re:Discontinued service by darkwing_bmf · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's the difference between "contract" law and "threaten someone with a knife" law.

  3. Re:This seems bizarre by Carik · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It could be that the judge wanted to tack on more time... since it looks like he could only impose community service (possibly because everyone involved was a minor?), it may have given him an option to impose a harsher sentence.

    I could easily see that: "OK, the max I'm allowed to impose on a minor for a single offense is 100 hours, and that's for threats of violence. But you deserve more punishment, so what else can I do? Oh... you also stole something. That's another 44 hours. If I could think of anything else to add, I would, so count yourself lucky, kid, and don't do it again."

  4. So... by forkfail · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Jail time for ninjas?

    Import tariffs for overseas gold farmers?

    Sales tax on the WoW auction house?

    Income tax on raid loot?

    --
    Check your premises.
    1. Re:So... by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes, yes, yes, and yes!

      Are you running for president, by chance?

  5. No Islands of Law by andersh · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You don't seem to understand my point, this is not about sovereignty, the reason you can't apply American law to European courts is because the systems are vastly different. It's like using Imperial measurements in a Metric country, or even better like speaking Russian in China.

    For example the Common Law principle of caveat emptor, "buyer beware", does not work the same in most European systems, where there are other balances, duties and rights for both seller and buyer. The equations are different, therefore different results.

    Laws and their interpretations are not formed in a vacuum, international sources are considered, but not applied directly in most countries. They can function as guidance or useful examples. After all the UK is the original source of your legal system, laws, methods, rights and oldest precedents. You don't seem to mind those? Never mind the international treaties and conventions on trade and standardization.

    Now, who's pushing that ACTA set of laws on Europe?

  6. Re:This is a good judgment by St.Creed · · Score: 3, Informative

    Verdict (in Dutch, you will need to translate it): http://zoeken.rechtspraak.nl/detailpage.aspx?ljn=BQ9251

    It's well-written and quite long. They went into all of the arguments in detail, including those you mention. It's a very interesting read.

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