Epic Games, the powerhouse behind the global phenomenon Fortnite and the Unreal Engine, has launched a legal offensive against the creators and distributors of cheating software for its flagship game. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in North Carolina, the company accuses Ediz Atas—known online as “Sincey Cheats” and “Vanta Cheats”—of developing and selling tools that give players unfair advantages, including wallhacks and aimbots. Epic Games is seeking justice not only from the creator himself but also from five software resellers.

Mass-Scale Cheating and False Statements

According to the lawsuit, Atas had been developing, maintaining, and selling cheat software for Fortnite since at least January 2023. Epic Games claims this activity not only spoils the experience for fair players but also violates the End User License Agreement (EULA) and constitutes circumvention of the game’s advanced anti-cheat systems.

The company stresses that negative experiences caused by cheaters lead to community frustration and player churn, directly impacting revenue from in-game purchases like battle passes and skins.

The situation takes a more serious turn with allegations that Atas impersonated Epic employees to try and remove anti-cheat promotional videos from YouTube. The company claims Atas sent fake emails—closely mimicking official ones—to YouTube, attempting to retract DMCA claims.

The scale of the problem is significant. Since February 2022, Epic has banned “tens of thousands of accounts” using “Sincey Cheats” software, with over 15,000 bans coming from the United States alone.

In addition to Atas, the lawsuit names five other defendants who resold the software through various websites, Discord servers, and Telegram channels. Epic Games is seeking unspecified monetary damages from all defendants, including legal costs and a permanent court injunction prohibiting further development and distribution of such software.

An Industry-Wide Front Against Cheating

Epic Games’ actions align with a broader trend in the gaming industry. Other developers, including Bungie (Destiny 2) and Riot Games (Valorant), have long fought legal battles against cheat developers—with notable success.

Bungie has won several high-profile lawsuits, resulting in multimillion-dollar awards against developers of programs like “AimJunkies” and “VeteranCheats,” leading to the shutdown of many Destiny 2 cheat services. Riot Games has likewise successfully sued Valorant cheat creators, resulting in their operations being closed and significant financial penalties imposed. These rulings have established important legal precedents, recognizing cheat development and distribution as violations of copyright and the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act).

Legal Perspective in Poland and Europe

Though the lawsuit was filed in the U.S., the legality of cheats is also being debated in Europe. A recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the case of Sony v. Datel has added nuance to the discussion. The CJEU ruled that cheat software which does not modify the game’s source code but merely interacts with data in the console’s memory does not infringe on software copyright.

However, this ruling does not give cheat creators and users free rein. Their distribution can still be challenged under unfair competition laws. In Poland, as in other EU countries, the main basis for action is violation of a game’s EULA—a civil contract between player and publisher. This typically results in account bans. Yet when cheat creation and sales become organized, profit-driven enterprises, they may be prosecuted under civil law and, in extreme cases, even criminal law—for example, under computer fraud statutes.

A Clear Message to the Industry

Epic Games’ latest lawsuit is another strong signal that game publishers will not tolerate activities undermining fair competition and spoiling the fun for millions of players worldwide. The outcome of this case will undoubtedly be closely watched by both gamers and developers alike.

Source: Polygon