http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/pc/fbi-raids-lineage-ii-pirates-216078.php

"The FBI conducted multiple raids across the country today, closing down Lineage II pirating site L2Extreme, NCsoft said.

L2E was providing an estimated 50,000 gamers with unauthorized access to Lineage II, costing NCsoft million of dollars a year, the company said in a press release.

"Operations like this essentially are defrauding customers by stealing from companies like NCsoft," said Matt Esber, NCsoft North America general counsel. "In the end those losses impact our customer support, product development, operational areas and ultimately they impact our player communities, most of which are trying to play games legitimately. This group in particular was downloading our version of the Lineage II software from our servers, costing us close to a million dollars in realized bandwidth costs during the period it was operational.

"We've taken this action because we strongly believe in defending the intellectual property rights that we've worked so hard to create. We're extremely pleased that the FBI has worked with us so diligently to bring this particular case to its current state and we want our customers to understand that we will continue to fight similar operations in the future in order to maintain the integrity of all NCsoft games."

THe investigation into L2Extreme is ongoing in various cities from California to Virginia"

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"The FBI is on piracy? There is a war (if I may call it a war) going on and they are raiding servers and searching teenagers' houses?
But of course... p2p is terrorism... you never know what kind of propaganda these people are spreading through p2p networks... "

"meanwhile, at the super best friends headquarters, 15 terrorists crossed into the US borders unrestricted. ..."

If this ongoing action doesn't make you wonder if the "w@r on turrurusm (mispelling intentional)" isn't complete and utter bullshit front then I don't know what will. The reason why the feds have the time for shit like this, is because THERE IS NO TURRUR THREAT TO THE US. THE ONLY THREAT IS TO **YOU** WHEN THE CFR/TRILATERAL COMMISION/BILDERBERG GROUP PULL THE STRINGS OF ITS PUPPETS (THAT YOU"VOTE" FOR) IN THE GUVMINT TO ATTACK OUR OWN COUNTRY. WAKE UP AND PUT DOWN THE KOOL-AID FOLKS.

-TA

"Operations like this essentially are defrauding customers by stealing from companies ..."
if L2E wasnt charging how are they stealing? if the "customers" didnt pay why are they called customers instead of patrons?
I know doublespeak when I read it.

IP Cartels Money>Congresscritters>FBI> enforcement of Cartels bought laws.

He who has the gold makes the rules.

Wouldn't you just love to know how many manhours, how many taxpayers' dollars went into the investigation and arrests, and the court costs which will be upcoming... so that teenagers playing games online learn the real meaning of big brother? Priceless... they're finally getting an education. Kudos to the FBI... I feel safer. Kudos to the company. Let them and their game rot.

the FBI should not be concerned in such a small trivial private matter, they should be dealing with terrorism and organized crime etc. Dealing with threats to our security and freedom. Not pulling in a few internet pirates.

In addition, as always companies present a one sided view, but there will have been a certain proportion of the users who did buy the software as a result of the pirate website exposing them to the game, offsetting some of these so called 'losses'.

"This group in particular was downloading our version of the Lineage II software from our servers..."

Just like every player has to do. The complaint isn't about "stealing" software. They give it away for free. It's about the secret key codes that give you access and the ability to charge you for every minute you play the game.

/begin sarcasm

Thank God they stopped it before the squash and pollen harvest.

/end sarcasm

The only thing the government is enforcing is the fact that not all things are accessable to all people...

I love the priorities! We've the best government money can buy.