Wizards cracks down on digital D&D pirates, faces backlash |
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Wizards cracks down on digital D&D pirates, faces backlash
Record labels aren't alone in cracking down on fans illegally distributing content -- or facing a resulting backlash. Wizards of the Coast, the company behind Dungeons & Dragons and other popular games, says it has filed suit against eight people alleged to have used file-sharing networks to share electronic copies of the recently released Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook 2.
In addition, TechDirt reports that the Renton-based company plans to implement new digital-rights management protections. In the meantime, the company has asked some retailers to stop offering the digital books -- drawing complaints from people who say they purchased the PDFs legitimately but now can't download them.
Wizards of the Coast, a Hasbro subsidiary, says the suits allege copyright infringement against people in the U.S., the Philippines and Poland. The company said in a news release yesterday that the illegal distribution has "resulted in a substantial number of lost sales and lost revenue," without giving specific numbers.
"Violations of our copyrights and piracy of our products hurt not only Wizards of the Coast's financial health but also the health of the whole gaming community including retailers and players," said Greg Leeds, the company's president, in the news release.
Copies of the suits aren't yet available in the U.S. District Court online filing system, and a Wizards spokeswoman couldn't immediately be reached for comment this afternoon.
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