'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cheating in Destiny 2 has been a recurring issue for the community and Bungie. They tend to spoil the competitive nature of any high-end game mode, be it Trials of Osiris, Iron Banner, or any other activity. Prominent content creators have been banned before due to hacking in PvP, while some are still at large for using illegal software.
In August last year, Bungie filed a lawsuit against three creators of software that enabled hacking for any user. These businesses were called VeteranCheats, LaviCheats, and Elite Boss Tech.
The creators were Robert James Duthie Nelson, alongside several "Doe" defendants, all of whom were involved in the distribution of illegal software. At the end of the day, the lawsuit did reach an agreement, where the software creator agreed to $13.5 million in damages.
Elite Boss Tech agrees to pay $13.5 million in damages for creating and distributing Destiny 2 hacks
According to a report made by TorrentFreak, the cheating software used in Destiny 2 from Elite Boss Tech was downloaded 6,765 times. Multiplying this number with the amount under 17 US Code § 1201, the defendants agreed on the final number to be $13.5 million, with $2000 per download and violation.
The report states:
"The cheating software was reportedly downloaded 6,765 times, with each download constituting an independent provision of a circumvention device, also in violation of 17 USC § 1201 (a) and (b)."
It further elaborated:
"The consent judgement also comes with a proposed permanent injunction that prohibits the defendants (and any other person or company acting in concert with them) from creating, distributing or otherwise making available, any software that infringes Bungie's rights or those of its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates."
In November 2020, Bungie teamed up with Riot Games to shut down another cheat seller called GatorCheats. Both the companies sent a cease-and-desist letter to Cameron Santos, the creator of the illegal software.
They soon followed it up with a lawsuit that involved copyright infringement and violations of the anti-circumvention provisions of the DMCA. Santos did come forward saying that his business fell under the protection of the First Amendment and fair usage.
Although Santos and Bungie both settled on an agreement of $2 million paired with an injunction, it was a clear warning to any other company that partook in illegal software businesses. This year, however, Bungie and a few Destiny 2 content creators were hit with a series of copyright takedown strikes on YouTube.
The company did take action against them, filing a lawsuit in which they are entitled to $150,000 for each takedown.
