files/pictures/picture-35.jpgTwelve video game companies have filed a joint suit against four individuals accusing them of offering unauthorized versions of such games as PAC-MAN and DONKEY KONG on the Web. The suit seeks to shut down sites operated by Dasheill Ponce De Leon of Houston, John Sterling of Beaumont, Texas, Byron Beck of Monrovia, California and Kuei Lin Lo of Amherst, Massachusetts. The complaint also seeks monetary damages of US$150,000 for each copyright infringement. "While some believe there are no victims from piracy, they're wrong," said Doug Lowenstein, president of the Interactive Digital Software Association, a trade group representing the entertainment software industry. "A video game is increasingly expensive to develop and each title involves the hard work of numerous individuals." The men are accused of illegally distributing hundreds of digital entertainment products. Some of the companies participating in the suit are Activision Inc., LucasArts, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Midway Amusement Games and Capcom Entertainment. The suit states that the four sites distribute "warez" and "rom" files of copyrighted titles. "Warez" is a slang term for pirated versions of software and "roms," short for "ready-only memory," are files that contain video game info that can be played on home PCs with the use of a decoding device.
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LucasArts in Russell Bekins' Animation World Magazine article.
