Take-Two Sues GTA Online Hacker In Australia

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Take-Two's legal team has been quite busy this year.

Not only did Lindsay Lohan's pathetic bid to rake in damages over alleged use of her likeness only recently end, but the legal row surrounding Leslie Benzies' less than amicable departure still drags on.

However, the parent company of Grand Theft Auto 5's developer doesn't only take lawsuits - it can dish them out as well. Together with Rockstar themselves, they also taking the issue of hacking in GTA Online very seriously.

Over the course of the game's lifetime, its various hacking problems have caused several large fallouts, and if we look at all the active years of GTA Online, hacking likely is one of the most discussed topics. Used interchangeably but erroneously with modding, the last-gen consoles and PC remain susceptible.

In its long battle against hacking, Rockstar has shut down single player mods on the PC several times only to re-enable them after doing so did nothing against Online cheaters, and at one time their new anti-cheat system outright broke the game. After a while, it seemed like no anti-cheat was good enough, so instead they changed their banning policy to a rather Draconian no-tolerance scheme.



Hacking in GTA Online is still fairly common, but things have been reined in recently. Ever since character transfers between the last-gen and current-gen consoles were ceased, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are completely cheat and hack-free, and while there are still instances on PC, things are hardly as severe as they were around 2016 and early 2017.

However, this doesn't mean Rockstar is going to start easing up - if anything, recent news about an Australian GTA Online hacker being sued by Take-Two shows that the company intends to surrender no ground gained. This story doubles as a cautionary tale proving that you need to be mighty careful about what you put out online, because anything compromising will be tracked down.

The story begins in 2014. An individual known online as "Chr0m3 x MoDz", later identified as Jeremy Taylor, was developing and spreading GTA Online mod menus and hacks that allowed him and other users to alter and affect the gameplay experiences of other players.

It's the usual fare of spawning props, insta-killing, teleporting, etc. Take-Two and Taylor entered into an agreement in 2014 that legally bound Taylor, prohibiting him from altering the game.

However, in February this year Take-Two discovered a recording where Taylor's voice (allegedly) states that he returned to hacking GTA Online after a one-year hiatus, but now simply works secretly, having other individuals take credit for his mods and cheats.

This is in clear violation of the agreement, and Take-Two has moved in to sue. Court documents include a transcript of the conversation.

Take-Two is seeking a more formal and enforceable ban against Taylor's hacking activities, as well as damages and the coverage of legal costs.

We'll update this story as more details come in.

Posted:
Related Forum: Grand Theft Auto Forum

Source: https://www.gtaboom.com/take-two-sues-gta-online-hacker-in-australia/

Comments

"Take-Two Sues GTA Online Hacker In Australia" :: Login/Create an Account :: 9 comments

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TOXICPosted:

HAHAHA thats nuts lol, got what they deserved though.

FamousPosted:

Why sue the hackers like how it it there fault the game is 6 years old about if not like on her and hacking is still possible.

MushroomElmPosted:

XeCookie_ Take-Two aint having it lol but that is a little outrageous just his voice... how do you know its not someone who sounds like him. Google just show cased an automated system that can make phone calls and sound just like you, theres also other software out there that can impersonate peoples voices and that would be a good fight for chrome if he has a lawyer. Personally I think they're going too far.


A humans voice is almost as unique as their finger print. With the proper programs and knowledge, you can scan voices and detect whether they are belong to the person in question or if it is fake all together.

I agree, though. Take-Two might be grasping at straws. But I think it's smart. Every game company should start doing this. A pop-up screen binding your account to a legal agreement. That if you, in anyway, alter game play(making the cheat or just using it yourself) become liable for a lawsuit.

Wasn't it Epic(Fornite) who was recently trying to sue some 13 year old kid?

XeCookiePosted:

Take-Two aint having it lol but that is a little outrageous just his voice... how do you know its not someone who sounds like him. Google just show cased an automated system that can make phone calls and sound just like you, theres also other software out there that can impersonate peoples voices and that would be a good fight for chrome if he has a lawyer. Personally I think they're going too far.

SilkyPosted:

Sets an example from him which may make think people twice before developing and releasing hacks.

TTG_JAMBOPosted:

Knew him well from over the years! very talented across a range of games more noticeably with forza/gta and real time editing. Hope it doesn't have to much of a bad outcome for the guy

lbreadsticklPosted:

As much as I hate online mods (offline or single player are chill), I hate the snitch more who recorded his voice. Unless it was some undercover investigation rockstar did then good for rockstar, but I'd **** up the person that through him under the bus. He's ass is getting sued now for it and that's big.

j0joPosted:

Damn they're messing with Chrome Modz that's crazy

MazePosted:

Seems so outrageous, but I guess from a business perspective they are losing money...