legal Archives

TrendTechie

July 19, 2025

Владелец неработающего торрент-сайта получил 5 лет тюрьмы за пиратство

A 59-year-old Greek national was sentenced to five years in prison and fined €10,000, along with court costs of €1,800, for operating the torrent site P2Planet from 2011 to 2014, which hosted over 14,000 torrent links. His case is the second of its kind in Greece's legal history. The final verdict was delivered on May 29, and he had been awaiting sentencing since his arrest in 2014. The site experienced a DDoS attack that led to a database breach, which likely aided law enforcement in his apprehension. A similar case in the past resulted in a five-year prison sentence for another torrent site owner, but without a financial penalty.

AppWizard

July 18, 2025

Telegram Begins Legal Process to Open Office in Russia

The developer of the Telegram messaging app has begun the legal process to establish a representative office in Russia, nearly four years after a law requiring foreign tech companies to have a physical presence in the country was enacted. Telegram Messenger, Inc. is in the approval process for office registration with Roskomnadzor, though the application date is undisclosed. Previously, Telegram has taken minimal steps to comply with Russian localization laws. The platform remains popular in Russia, attracting a varied user base. Speculation exists about the timing of this move, especially with new regulations mandating that personal devices sold in Russia come pre-installed with a state-sponsored messenger, which is expected to be filled by a new app called Max. Roskomnadzor has not confirmed Telegram's plans and has directed inquiries to the company. Telegram has not publicly commented on the office registration.

BetaBeacon

July 17, 2025

Is it safe to buy retro gaming handhelds with pre-loaded games? Here’s my expert advice

Downloading or sharing pirated games, even if they are old or out of print, is illegal according to copyright law. Handhelds that come with pre-loaded ROMs are also legally questionable. Cheap microSD cards that come with these devices have high fail rates and may not last long. Companies that use pirated ROMs as a selling point may not offer good customer support. It is recommended to buy from companies that do not ship their devices with games for a more legitimate and sustainable future for emulation handhelds.

AppWizard

July 17, 2025

Lawsuit insists Krafton pushed for Subnautica 2 delay

The former leadership team of Unknown Worlds has filed a lawsuit against Krafton, claiming that Krafton pressured them to delay the release of Subnautica 2 beyond its expected 2025 launch. The lawsuit alleges that Krafton intentionally delayed the game by withdrawing marketing materials and retracting commitments necessary for pre-launch preparations, aiming to avoid a 0 million payment owed to the founders and employees of Unknown Worlds. Following the acquisition, Krafton reportedly decided to push the game's launch to 2026 to retain revenue while avoiding the payment. Krafton responded by stating that its decisions were made to ensure the game's quality and to meet fan expectations, expressing disappointment over the lawsuit and affirming its commitment to defend its position in court.

BetaBeacon

July 17, 2025

Forget copyright strikes, a retro gaming YouTuber faces jail time for reviewing gaming handhelds

Italian YouTuber Once Were Nerd is facing legal trouble in Italy for promoting pirated copyrighted materials, specifically related to ANBERNIC devices. Officials seized more than 30 gaming consoles from his collection and may shut down his channel before the case goes to trial. The charges are related to the reproduction of copyrighted material from Nintendo and Sony, and could result in a maximum punishment of €15,000 and three years of jail time. The case sets a dangerous precedent for other gaming-focused creators in countries with outdated copyright laws.

BetaBeacon

July 16, 2025

YouTuber faces jail time for showing off Android-based gaming handhelds

Italian YouTuber Once Were Nerd is facing legal issues for showcasing handheld gaming devices with pre-loaded copyrighted game ROMs, leading to potential criminal charges and the risk of his channel being shut down.

AppWizard

July 16, 2025

Microsoft Tests Streaming Xbox Games on PC

Microsoft's Xbox division is testing a new feature that allows users to stream their personally owned games through the Xbox PC app, eliminating lengthy installations. This feature is currently available to Xbox Insiders with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription and enables players to access their game libraries on Windows devices using cloud technology. The app manages processing on remote servers, conserving local storage and reducing download times. This initiative is part of Microsoft's strategy to unify its gaming ecosystem and respond to competition from services like Nvidia's GeForce Now and Amazon's Luna. The feature aims to democratize access to games without requiring a subscription for owned titles. Challenges include reliance on internet connectivity and privacy concerns regarding cloud data management. If successful, this could lead to broader integration across Xbox platforms, including smart TVs. Feedback from Insiders will influence the rollout pace.

AppWizard

July 15, 2025

GOG is delisting two of the best indie games ever — buy them now before it’s too late

Limbo and Inside will be delisted from CD Projekt's GOG storefront on July 17th, 2025, at 3:00 PM CEST / 9:00 a.m. ET. Both games were developed by Playdead, with Limbo released in 2010 and Inside in 2016. The delisting is linked to ongoing legal disputes involving Playdead's co-founders. Limbo and Inside will remain available on other platforms such as Nintendo Switch and Steam. Both titles are currently included in Xbox Game Pass for Xbox Series X|S consoles.

AppWizard

July 13, 2025

While its creators are in a very public legal feud, legendary puzzle platformers Inside and Limbo are being removed from a PC storefront

Playdead Games has announced that its puzzle platformers Limbo and Inside will be removed from the GOG platform on July 17, 2025, due to a legal dispute within the company. GOG has expressed regret over the situation and is currently offering Inside at a 90% discount. The legal conflict arose when a former employee, Patti, revealed he received threats of legal action regarding a LinkedIn post about Limbo's development, leading to a lawsuit from Playdead's legal team against him. The studio claims Patti is misrepresenting his role in the game's development.

AppWizard

July 13, 2025

Krafton confirms Subnautica 2 leak showing that the publisher wanted more content for the early access launch, leading to delay and leadership ouster

Krafton has confirmed the authenticity of a leaked development assessment for Subnautica 2, indicating a need for more content and refinement before launch. The postponement of the game has led to conflict between Krafton and former Unknown Worlds leaders Charlie Cleveland, Ted Gill, and Max McGuire, with a now-deleted post on r/pcgaming calling for a boycott due to their firings. Cleveland stated that the game is ready for early access, suggesting a disagreement over the development timeline. Krafton expressed feelings of "profound betrayal" towards the former leaders, accusing them of neglecting their responsibilities, particularly Cleveland, who was alleged to have prioritized a personal project. Cleveland and the former leaders have initiated legal action against Krafton.