RuneScape bot makers slapped with six-figure damages

Jagex has won a legal battle with a pair of Runescape bot makers, leaving the defendants "convincingly neutered".

At the end of a two-year suite, a pair of brothers developing bots and macros for Runescape under the name Impulse Software did not win favour with a Boston court, GamePolitics reports.

The pair were ordered to pay damages in the "six figure range". They have also been slapped with an injunction against developing or assisting others in the development of bot software pertaining to Runescape, and ordered to hand over any websites, domains, source code and customer details related to their bot vending business.

Impulse Software must also fork over information on any others who assisted in bot development, or sold them on.

"The point of this and other cases of its kind, is that we will continue bring to justice those who set out to harm the game or our beloved community," Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard said.

"We are delighted to say that we have convincingly neutered them after a very long battle."

The "long battle" cost Jagex at least $1 million.

"We have spared no expense fighting this case, as demonstrated by the seven figure bill this action has cost. We began the legal action against the Snellmans over two years ago as a part of our ongoing commitment to ridding RuneScape of bots and gold farmers," Gerhard explained.

"Faced with this significant challenge we have continued to demonstrate that we will never shy away from difficult battles, we don’t compromise on taking the right course of action and, regardless of the time, money or effort involved we always do what it takes in order to protect our community."