Riot sues League of Legends cheat-makers

Riot Games is going a step beyond banning League of Legends cheaters, and has filed suit against the people who make the cheats they use. As covered by The Hollywood Reporter, Riot last week filed a lawsuit in California against the makers of LeagueSharp (L# in shorthand), a program that lets League of Legends players see hidden enemy movements, automatically dodge incoming attacks, or automate gameplay to allow them to advance levels and acquire items at an inhuman pace.

"By this complaint, Riot seeks to put a stop to a commercial enterprise that is dedicated to destroying the LoL player experience, harming the LoL community, and subverting Riot's game (and its community) for its own profit," Riot said in its suit, adding, "It is absolutely imperative to Riot and to the future of LoL that the game provides its players a fair, competitive, and enjoyable environment that rewards its players' skill and experience."

The decision to sue was probably made easier by the fact that LeagueSharp is a subscription service, charging a $15 to $50 monthly fee for people to use it. The suit itself is probably made harder since Riot believes LeagueSharp's supposed owner, Chachani Misti y Pichu Pichu, is a fake Peruvian company run by three individuals living in Germany.

Riot is accusing the defendants of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by selling software to circumvent League of Legends' anti-cheat software, intentional interference with contractual relations, and unfair competition. The developer is pursuing statutory and punitive damages.