Creator of “Destiny 2” sues Aimjunkies.com for leaking cheat codes

The creator, Bungie, of the video game ‘Destiny 2’ has recently accused AimJunkies.com of deliberately committing an infringement of its copyright. It was alleged that AimJunkies sold a software ‘cheat’ program that reportedly gives every player an unfair advantage over others in the game. However, the game developer lodged its complaint at the US District Court for the Western District of Washington. 

According to the filing, AimJunkies.com is owned by Phoenix Digital that developed, advertised, used, and distributed a software cheat known as Destiny 2 Hacks’ at a cost of nearly $34.95 a month. However, the filing involved information on how Bungie launched the commercially successful Destiny franchise in the month of September 2014. Players play the role of guardians of the last safe city on Earth in Destiny where they protect humanity from the attack of aliens and thwarting the looming threat of the Darkness. 

Destiny 2 was released in a grand launching event in the month of September 2017. It was launched as a free-to-play game with a feature of paid expansions and having a community of players estimated at nearly 30 million. “Defendants’ cheats cause harm to Bungie including to the goodwill Bungie has developed with the ‘Destiny 2’ community as well as to Bungie’s reputation,” stated the filing.

The complaint further explained, “Destiny 2 rewards players for their gameplay skills with items, seals, and titles, and these rewards are visible to other players, but that by using the software provided by the defendants, cheaters can earn the same rewards without the requisite gameplay skill.” “When cheating occurs, or when there is a perception that players are cheating, then non-cheating players become frustrated that cheaters obtain the same rewards and stop playing,” said Bungie. It was further contended that the commercial success of Destiny 2 which is a free-to-play game was completely dependent upon continued player engagement. Bungie has requested to the court and sought judicial damages for trademark and copyright infringement that has the potential of reaching millions of dollars.