Cheat software: Can publishers level the playing field?

Our legal expert Dr Andreas Lober offers practical advice to publishers battling the rise of cheat software in online games.

"In every walk of life, there have always been people who will take shortcuts to get ahead. The world of online games is no exception to this rule.

In recent years, releases such as Fortnite and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds have proved immensely popular, and brought online gaming even further into the mainstream. These games pit thousands – sometimes millions – of players against each other, or allow them to cooperate to overcome obstacles and progress. They fundamentally rely on a level playing field to ensure a challenging, equitable and enjoyable experience for the entire audience.

However, the popularity and intense competition of some games has attracted another type of player: ultra-competitive, willing to win by any means necessary, including cheating. At first, these players exploited glitches or create and control multiple accounts, giving themselves an unfair advantage. More recently, though, they have used powerful tools to manipulate the playing field -- cheat software, which gives them an edge over their fellow gamers."

You can read the entire article by Dr Andeas Lober on the gamesindustry-website.