Glider Developer Sued by Blizzard

Blizzard claims World of Warcraft License Breach

Michael Donnelly, creator of Glider, a World of Warcraft bot that automates some tasks in the game, is being taken to court by developer Blizzard Entertainment for copyright infringement and violation of the game’s license agreement.

The company’s major claim is that Glider, which is available for a flat fee of $25 as well as an Elite option for $5 a month, is in copyright violation as the software attempts to circumvent anti-cheating measures.  According to the FAQ on Glider’s official site states the software does no such thing, though the FAQ admits the program is in violation of WoW’s Terms of Service.

Blizzard had papers served through its publisher, Vivendi Games, who had an attorney and private investigator show up to Donnelly’s home, according to BBC News.  The report details Donnelly’s account of the day, on which he was “offended”:

When they arrived, they presented Donnelly with a copy of a complaint that they indicated would be filed the next day in the US District Court for the Central District of California if Donnelly did not immediately agree to stop selling Glider and return all profits that he made from Glider sales.

Both sides are presently awaiting a summary judgment in an Arizona court.  Aside from others’ forum posts on the Glider site, no official announcement has been made by Donnelly on there.