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JJ Sierra
ENG 101
Professor Alicia Bolton
October 27, 2014
Real Life Consequences for Virtual Crimes?
Alex Weiss essay, Should Gamers Be Prosecuted for Virtual Stealing, argues that it is
unfair for someone to be punished and prosecuted in real life for a crime committed in a virtual
online game. He analyzes a court ruling that was made by the Dutch Supreme Court pertaining to
a teenage gamers virtual theft. The teenage gamer was convicted for [stealing] two virtual
items while playing Runescape, a free massively multiplayer online [MMO] video game (Weiss
727). The associated press says that the defense attorney claims the items stolen were neither
tangible nor material and, unlike for example electricity, had no economic value (qtd. in Weiss
727). However, the court rebutted the argument and claimed that the time the 13-year-old
victim spent in the game trying to earn the objects gave them value (Weiss 727). Weiss argues
that this ruling is unfair and makes no sense because it places too much value on the time
people spend playing video games (727). He continues to say that video games are not work or
investments for which people should be compensated (727). By offering a few examples of
other massively multiplayer online video games, such as EVE Online and World of Warcraft,
Weiss makes the case to his argument. I agree with Weiss that it does not seem right to punish
the teenager in the real world for his crimes in the virtual realm and that putting monetary value
on time spent immersed in a virtual world seems dangerous.
Weiss is right to say that it is unfair to punish the teenager for committing a virtual crime.
As he explains in the essay, when he himself was a teenager he was also into a massively

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multiplayer online video game titled EVE Online: I played and MMO set in space-capitalist hell
titled EVE Online (Weiss 727). In this massively multiplayer online video game it was not
uncommon to steal valuable items and deliberately sabotage a fellow gamers work. In fact, the
massively multiplayer online video game encouraged its players to invest real money into the
game in order to build highly desirable objects in the game. He says that in EVE Online many
months of man hours and in-game currency, called isk, was put in to small in-game businesses
and massive ships. In accordance to what Weiss stated about EVE Online there are no rules in
this massively multiplayer online video game against players stealing, cheating, or sabotaging
others; therefore, there are no consequences, in the virtual realm or in the actual world. An
example that Weiss gives of this is that in 2010 pirates destroyed a ship that another player had
filled with six years worth of in-game subscription renewals. At the time, the six years worth of
play was valued at more than $1,000 in teal money through EVEs rather complicated financial
system (728-729). I believe that was Weiss makes a good point by introducing EVE Online. If
the Dutch Supreme Court never had any trials pertaining to any other massively multiplayer
online video games, what is different about this case? I do not believe that the court has
sufficient reasoning or a stable enough basis to punish the teenage boy for a crime that would
have otherwise been permitted in another game. If Runescape had specific rules against such
behavior then my position on this case would be different, but there are no such rules. As Weiss
points out, the developers of Runescape, however, didnt explicitly state that the thief couldnt
do what he did, nor did they refund the victim his item (729). Weiss also goes on to mention
another popular massively multiplayer online video game known as World of Warcraft that has
almost completely different values and objectives than those of EVE online. In his online video
game scamming, thievery, and even harsh language is against a strict policy set by the

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developers of the game. Violators of these acts in this massively multiplayer online video game
may be subject to banning of the game and the victims of stolen property are refunded what is
theirs. In the case at hand however, Runescape is much like EVE Online in that there are no set
rules against such bad behavior. So if the developers of the massively multiplayer online video
game did not necessarily punish the defendant for his virtual crime why should the Dutch
Supreme Court. For these reasons I agree with Weiss that that it is unfair to punish the teenager
for committing a virtual crime.
I also agree with Weiss claim that putting real monetary value on the amount of time
spent investing in a virtual online game seems dangerous. The Dutch government seems to be
expanding what is and what can be considered a crime too broadly. Again, as Weiss says, Video
games are not work or investments for which people should be compensated (727). I believe
that video games are a way to be utilized by regular everyday people to do whatever they want
and express themselves freely without consequences. Whatever crimes they commit on a virtual
world really do not interfere with anything going on in the real world. It is not that they are
intending to commit any actual crime or anything. The game is supposed to be a form of
escapism where players are able to express their emotions and or pretend to be something they
otherwise never would be and try something completely different. As a teenager, I myself was an
online gamer and player of the massively multiplayer online video game Runescape. In my own
personal experiences with this MMO it is apparent that many hours of real life are invested into
gaining and earn ing many in-game valuables and goods. However there is no actual benefit for
participating in this MMO and it is all voluntarily done with that understanding. Although it is
not common for someone to steal an items if it were to happen no physical harm is being done.

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In conclusion, I agree with Weiss that it does not seem right to punish the teenager in the
real world for his crimes in the virtual realm and that putting monetary value on time spent
immersed in a virtual world seems dangerous. No real crimes were committed in this case and it
was wrong for the Dutch Supreme Court to convict and prosecute the teenage gamer for a virtual
theft that had no real value to everyday life. Maybe from now on gamers should be mindful of
what they do online because if not they might just receive a supine in the mail from the Supreme
Court for their crime.

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Work Cited
Weiss, Alex. Should Games Be Prosecuted for Virtual Stealing. The Norton Field Guide to
Writing with Readings and Handbook. 3rd ed. Ed. Richard Bullock, Maureen Daly
Goggin, and Francine Weinberg. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 727-730.
Print.