Destiny cheaters fail in bid to countersue Bungie for hacking their computer
Guardian down.
The long-running legal battle between Bungie and Destiny cheat software maker AimJunkies appears to finally be near its conclusion - with victory now in sight for Bungie.
US District Court Judge Thomas Zilly has ruled against AimJunkies' eyebrow-raising bid to countersue Bungie for allegedly accessing its computers - a retaliatory move which the cheating firm claimed amounted to the Destiny maker hacking it.
Now, a new ruling (first reported by Torrentfreak), has dismissed AimJunkies' defence and left Bungie looking likely to win its original complaint, which alleged that AimJunkie's cheating software infringed on Destiny's copyright and trademarks.
Addressing the claim by cheat maker James May (not that one) that Bungie had accessed his computer illegally, Judge Zilly stated:
"May has failed to sufficiently allege that Bungie accessed his personal computer and files without authorization. To support his allegation that Bungie accessed his personal computer, May relies on a document that Bungie purportedly produced during discovery in this matter.
"May, however, does not explain what this document is or how it evidences instances in which Bungie allegedly accessed his computer without authorization and downloaded his personal information."
Bungie first filed suit against AimJunkies in June 2021, when the latter was selling a "Destiny 2 Hacks" package to users who wished to cheat in Destiny 2 for $35 a month. The ensuing saga has had a few twists and turns - and rose to prominence as Bungie initially appeared to have been placed on the back foot.
In April, Bungie's original legal complaint was largely dismissed. At the time, AimJunkies argued that its cheating software was its own work rather than a copy of Bungie's code.
Bungie subsequently tried again, arguing that AimJunkies had largely reverse-engineered and copied Destiny's software code. But AimJunkies then fired back, saying its software simply worked similar to Steam overlays and other legally-available products.
Things then took a turn for the bizarre in September, when AimJunkies alleged Bungie had accessed its computers via "clandestine surveillance" in order to obtain confidential information.
AimJunkies now has until 21st November to file a new appeal - or accept it has likely lost.