MMORPG게임의 오토프로그램과 저작권

The Autoprogram of MMORPG(Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) and Copyright

Cases that MMORPG game users gain profit through game items and game money that they have obtained by using an autoprogram in the MMORPG are increasing rapidly. This problem is not only a matter of obtaining illegal game money for the game company's perspective but it also causes deprivation and stress for ordinary MMORPG game users. As a result game users give up playing that game and game companies spend huge amount of money for developing security programs that protect their games from using autoprogram. There have been many technical and legal studies to solve this problem. But despite the autoprogram is a kind of game hack, in terms of copyright. Most of the discussion on autoprogram was based on the wrong assumption that "game hack = autoprogram". An autoprogram is a macro program(there are three types of autoprograms which are hardware type, software type and hybrid type) that simply input a mouse or a keyboard input signal automatically instead of man. In Korea there are security programs such as "Hack Shield" and "Game Guard" which protects the game by preventing the use of an autoprogram. The main function of these security program is to disable mouse and keyboard API functions in the Windows operating system. Regarding the main function of these security programs, it is difficult to think that the act of using an autoprogram is an circumvention of technological protection measures or a violation of reproduction right and right to preserve integrity.