Gaming industry at war against cheaters

By Yoon Sung-won

Korea’s gaming industry is struggling to fight online game hacking tools as they undermine fair play between users.

Companies are dealing with the users and distributors of hacking software by strengthening security algorithms and blocking suspicious accounts. But concerns are ballooning as none of the companies have come out with a fundamental solution to the problem. In the meantime, users who are fed up with cheaters are increasingly leaving the games, according to the industry.

“Though black-hat hackers have been in the industry for a long time, game hacking tools are increasingly spreading here and users can easily tap into such malicious software,” a gaming industry source said.

Earlier this year, computer online strategy game “League of Legends” (LoL) by Riot Games, one of the most sought-after titles here, was chastised for failing to crack down on the use of an illegal cheat tool. This tool provided users with undisclosed in-game information and helped them avoid opponents’ attacks by illegally manipulating the game’s software.

Blizzard Entertainment has also faced similar trouble due to the widespread use of an unauthorized tool for its online gunfight game “Overwatch.” The tool, which provides users with an automatic aiming feature, has been available through web portals and YouTube.

According to a gaming industry official, the authors of the cheat tools have organized to avoid police investigation.

“Hackers are working organizationally to produce and sell hacking tools not only in Korea but also in overseas countries where Korean games are provided,” the official said.

Shedding new light on the chronic problem, the National Assembly passed two bills on Dec. 2 that stipulate strengthened punishment for the distribution of illegal game hacking tools. The bills, which were proposed by Rep. Lee Dong-sup of the People’s Party, will go into effect in June.

The lawmaker said the bills aim at rooting out piracy of Korean game software overseas and the use of game hacking tools and private servers.

“It is great that we have added the new articles to the gaming law that stipulate heavy punishment for the production and distribution of illegal bootlegging of games, which have been the rotten apples that hamper the gaming industry here,” Lee said. “I will continue to work as a protector of the gaming industry at the National Assembly by devising more diverse policies for it.”

Earlier in July, Lee proposed a bill that allows the minister of culture, sports and tourism to request the cooperation of related central government organizations such as the foreign ministry regarding investigations for piracy cases of Korean games overseas in countries such as China and India.

Later in August, he introduced another bill stipulating the use and distribution of game hacking tools and private servers as punishable illegal acts. As the current gaming law lacks penalty clauses governing such illegal cheat tools and private servers, judicial authorities have indirectly handled such cases by charging suspects for breaching copyright laws.

Lee’s August bill prohibits production, distribution, provision or the recommendation of gaming software that is not approved by the developer and the publisher of the original software. It also bans the production and sales of computer programs and devices that can be used to modify a game’s code without permission. Any violation of such prohibited matters is subject to a jail term up to five years or a fine not exceeding 50 million won.