Topware Interactive, the developer of the popular Nintendo DS and PC game Dream Pinball 3D is suing 100 British citizens, claiming that each allegedly uploaded the game to file sharing sites and networks.
The move is thought to be the largest such single effort against uploaders of a certain game on P2P networks but lawyers for the gaming industry have reported that thousands of more cases are coming before the end of the year.
David Gore of UK law firm Davenport Lyons (taking action for the US-based Topware) added, "There is no difference between stealing a DVD from a high street retailer and downloading it from a peer-to-peer network.
"We hope that it will act as a deterrent. There is a hard core of file sharers who are just interested in getting something for nothing."
Four file sharers have already been ordered to pay damages of £750 although that fine can skyrocket to £3,500 once costs are added in.
Davenport Lyons says the users sued were tracked using technology created by Logistep, the independent Swiss anti-piracy outfit. The technology, dubbed "File Sharing Monitor", was used to "collect evidence against people who use peer-to-peer networks to upload copyright material."
The lawyers have also added that a recent High Court victory will mean that ISPs will be forced to hand over the names and addresses of any suspected file sharers, or of anyone matching an IP address logged by the "File Sharing Monitor."
"This is a widespread practice," noted David Gore. "In one European territory, a new game sold 2,000 copies in its first week on release.
"But 12,000 more were copied illegally from file sharing sites.
"Games companies now spend millions of pounds developing new titles and they cannot continue to do that while their work is being stolen."
David Gore of UK law firm Davenport Lyons (taking action for the US-based Topware) added, "There is no difference between stealing a DVD from a high street retailer and downloading it from a peer-to-peer network.
"We hope that it will act as a deterrent. There is a hard core of file sharers who are just interested in getting something for nothing."
Four file sharers have already been ordered to pay damages of £750 although that fine can skyrocket to £3,500 once costs are added in.
Davenport Lyons says the users sued were tracked using technology created by Logistep, the independent Swiss anti-piracy outfit. The technology, dubbed "File Sharing Monitor", was used to "collect evidence against people who use peer-to-peer networks to upload copyright material."
The lawyers have also added that a recent High Court victory will mean that ISPs will be forced to hand over the names and addresses of any suspected file sharers, or of anyone matching an IP address logged by the "File Sharing Monitor."
"This is a widespread practice," noted David Gore. "In one European territory, a new game sold 2,000 copies in its first week on release.
"But 12,000 more were copied illegally from file sharing sites.
"Games companies now spend millions of pounds developing new titles and they cannot continue to do that while their work is being stolen."
