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Atari accuses elderly couple of software piracy photo

A while ago, we posted a story about a massive war on videogame piracy being waged in the UK by Atari, Codemasters and a bunch of smaller publishers that nobody cares about. The crackdown uses methods of questionable integrity to track down software pirates who then receive threatening letters demanding money.

Well, one of these letters got sent to an elderly couple in Scotland. According to Atari's friendly ransom demand of £500, Gill and Ken Murdoch, aged 54 and 66 respectively, had downloaded an illegal copy of Race07.

"We do not have, and have never had, any computer game or sharing software," dispute the Murdochs. "We did not even know what 'peer to peer' was until we received the letter."

Unsurprisingly, Atari has since dropped its threatening demand for money. Maybe they should be a bit more careful before embarking on legal proceesdings that are about as robust and flawless as one of their games.








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Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize. Likes PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3 Meet the rest of the team



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18 comments | showing # 1 to 18
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CALkulon's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:00
CALkulon
That's fucked up.
Sam Spectre's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:15
Sam Spectre
Idiots.
jellydoodle's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:19
jellydoodle
probably a neighbor stealing their wifi XD
0bshaky's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:22
0bshaky
They should have sent Atari a box full of used Depends and empty cans of Ensure.
michiyoyoshiku's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:23
michiyoyoshiku
SO whos' not going to buy an atari gam ever again unless used?
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:36
Holyetheline
Who would want to pirate that crap anyway?
Gantz's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:46
Gantz
With a name like Ken Murdoch they better hope he doesn't beat their ass.
killatia's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:47
killatia
This isn;t the first time this kind of stupid shit happed. I still remember when the RIAA sued a 12 year old for downloading mary had a little lamb through p2p apps, and theyu actually got $20,000 from here.
killatia's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:50
killatia
*i ment her at the end not here.
catsithx's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:51
catsithx
Ok this world is fucked if we have come to this.
KaL YoshiKa's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 10:54
KaL YoshiKa
Correct me if I'm wrong here but isn't 500 pound a bit much for 1 instance of illegal downloading some piece of junk no one cares about. Atari should tone it down a notch or someone might decide to challenge the severity of the fine. Then won't they look silly when they have to pay people back money for pirating their games.
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 11:08
MechaMonkey
Atari just really needs money, so they're resorting to extortion to stay afloat.
CarlCastello's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 11:49
CarlCastello
I'd like to see my father get one of these letters, just so he can flip out and destroy them with his beard.
king3vbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 13:39
king3vbo
Extortion is the only way Atari can make money at this point
Ravana's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 14:03
Ravana
Quit bitching, this is F-U-N-N-Y!!! And to anyone that considers getting off the Atari bandwagon, wait until Ghostbusters is out. Then you can lob all the feces your tired asses can produce. And it's Scotland, so the couple could just paint their faces, get their swords, and scream their way to Atari's torture chamber. No harm done!

Also, cocks.
0bshaky's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 16:08
0bshaky
@ Ravana: Nobody fucks with my Scotland senior citizens and much less Atari.

Rest assured that the moment they announce a game that could save their shitty company I'll spam the comment section of every major retailer saying that their game is shit, not worthy of purchase and to wait till the game is either used or reduced price and that they should play XXXX instead. Atari have fucked people since the ET days and I hope that company goes down the crapper. Ghostbusters?! Oh you mean that "sub-par game that did not lived to the hype or the movie and it's better picking it off used or rent" ?

Also, cockblock.
Syn's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/30/2008 16:48
Syn
Bah, we seriously need to rise up and crush all corporations and governments. Who cares what happens after that.
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iiveekee
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