The British courts have decided to charge a former game developer with theft for stealing and selling user gold. All eyes are now on the courtroom to see what the final verdict and sentencing will be.

On January 14, the UK Court of Appeal decided to proceed with theft charges against Andrew Lakeman, a former developer for the classic MMORPG RuneScape. The prosecution alleges that he gained unauthorised access to 68 player accounts, siphoning off 705 billion GP (in-game currency), and peddling it to third parties for Bitcoin and cash. The value of the purloined GP is estimated at $750,000 (approximately 1.06 billion KRW).

In the initial trial, the court ruled that the stolen virtual currency did not qualify as 'property' under theft laws. The judge reasoned that since in-game currency can be generated infinitely, it is merely information or data rather than a tangible asset.

However, the second trial saw the court flip the script. The appellate judges argued that the definition of property under theft law includes intangible assets, especially when they function as independent assets that can be traded for real money. Consequently, the court upheld the prosecution’s appeal, ruling that the defendant will face trial for theft alongside four other charges, including violations of the Computer Misuse Act and money laundering.

Local industry experts suggest that the final verdict could send shockwaves through the markets and platforms that trade in virtual goods. Should a guilty verdict for theft be confirmed, it would cement the legal status of in-game currency as legitimate property.

Back in South Korea, while not a case of stealing existing user items, there have been heavy penalties for developers who abused their power to generate items for illicit profit. Notably, in 2024, the Gwangju High Court sentenced a former Neople employee to seven years in prison and ordered the forfeiture of 2.68 billion KRW for creating and selling Dungeon & Fighter items for personal gain.