Take-Two Sues Third-Party GTA Online Marketplace For Illegal Transactions

A new legal alert bell has rung from Take-Two Interactive, the publisher behind the iconic Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series, which recently filed a lawsuit against PlayerAuctions for offering a marketplace where unauthorized, infringing GTA online contents, such as “accounts, in-game virtual goods, or in-game virtual currency,” has been traded.

As spotted by Polygon, the complaint, which was filed this Tuesday, blames the company behind the related website PlayerAuctions.com for acting as a real “lawless enterprise” that GTA V offers players in the fictional underworld. The defendant is alleged of providing illegal services, including transactions that are about “heavily modified player accounts, in-game assets, and virtual currency – all gained by using hacking software, cheats, and technical exploits.” By getting a cut from these transactions, the platform is said to reap “millions in revenue.” 

Besides, such unauthorized transactions not only violate the game’s terms of service but also infringe on the company’s copyright and trademark, as it reads: “PlayerAuctionsactively monitors, controls, and supervises the content of these listings, including the infringing images, which serve to advertise the listed offering and create profit for Defendants.”

The lawsuit was brought after Take-Two repeatedly contacted PlayerAuctions and provided infringement evidence but to no result as the defendant “continues to rake in illicit profits.” Therefore, they demand that the illegal online marketplace be shut down and the business model be ended.

Take-Two is also seeking compensation for its losses in profits and the exact amounts will be determined during the trial. Alternatively, Take-Two could seek up to $150,000 for each copyright infringement.