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ARTICLE · 19 MAY 2008

Real or Illusory — Legal Rights in a Virtual World?

McCarthy Tétrault
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The question of whether video gamers acquire real-world legal rights for their in-game property has spilled over into the US Southern District Court of Florida.

CanadaStrategy
Robert Chaplick
Robert Chaplick
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The question of whether video gamers acquire real-world legal rights for their in-game property has spilled over into the US Southern District Court of Florida. A longtime player of World of Warcraft commenced a class action lawsuit against Internet Gaming Entertainment, Ltd. (IGE), claiming IGE breached the World of Warcraft terms of use and End User License Agreement (EULA). He accuses IGE of "gold farming" — it allegedly pays workers in developing counties to amass currency in the game, which it then sells to other users for real money. In January, IGE filed an answer to the suit, denying the allegations. The action has yet to be certified.

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