World of Warcraft Twitter client launches

Modders have created a fully functioning in-game Twitter client for World of Warcraft that allows players to send and receive Tweets during play.

The full list of functions for 'TweetCraft', which has been made available through CodePlex, include not only sending and receiving Tweets but also queuing Tweets to send when convenient, uploading in-game screenshots using TwitPic, sending an AutoTweet when you log in, enter an instance or get an achievement, and the ability to register messages and events to AutoTweet.

It's unclear however if the programme's unofficial mod status will be tolerated by Blizzard, which has fought to protect its copyright from hackers and other profiteers in the past.

Earlier this year, Blizzard served a cease-and-desist order on the makers of German web comic Shakes and Fidget for portraying the World of Warcraft universe in its published material.

Additionally, the publisher and developer last year won USD 6 million in a court battle undertaken against MDY Industries, the company responsible for a 'Glider' mod that enabled automated playing and levelling up in the game.

Blizzard claims such mods not only breach its copyright but also infringe the licence terms players agree to when they sign up for the game, which state they cannot modify files or create and use modes, hacks and other third-party software.