So there’s this game-book publisher guy who sells his wares on eBay. It’s been well established that unauthorized game guides are not copyright infringement, but Blizzard still kept sending eBay DMCA takedown notices. The guy would, of course, challenge each notice, and since Blizz would never respond to the challenge, eBay would relent and allow the guide listings to return.

And, of course, Blizzard would issue another DMCA takedown notice, starting the cycle anew. It’s absurd and grotesque that they got away with this. It’s ridiculous that the DMCA exists in the first place, but it’s obvious that Blizzard (et. al.) were doing something very sinister and wrong even if the law technically allowed them to behave this way. That something is legally permitted doesn’t make it ok morally, and Blizz flunked the test.

Fortunately, the little guy in this case had the stones to SUE the bastards in March; they reached a settlement today allowing his sales to continue; Blizz and co. agree to drop copyright claims to his work and cease any further takedown notices against these books, so the little guy kind of wins here.

Still, there’s no arguing with it: Blizz are douchebags.