World of Warcraft Player Sues IGE

The Escapist is reporting on this suit, in which a World of Warcraft player is suing IGE. For those unfamiliar, IGE is a major seller of in game gold for a number of high profile games.

The suit essentially alleges that through their business activities, IGE is diluting the player experience. These allegations are made through a combination of consumer protection laws and interference with the contract of a third party.

The claim is in one way novel and in another way analogous to many other consumer protection claims. However, it will still stand to face the noticeable issue that Blizzard has elected not to pursue legal action in this matter. Arguably, Blizzard, as the purveyor of World of Warcraft, is in the better position to pursue IGE for selling gold as violations of the Terms of Service and License Agreement.

The outcome of this could also be critical to the virtual world, as it may clearly define who really has the power to sue over in-game activities, the game company or the player.