Blizzard Sues WoW Private Server Over Copyright Infringement

World of Warcraft developer Blizzard is seeking legal action against Ascension WoW for copyright infringement, racketeering, and earning millions illegally.

Blizzard has filed a court document in California accusing the creators of Ascension WoW of distributing illegal copies of the game, using copyrighted materials, and accepting donations. The lawsuit alleges that Project Ascension has built a business model based on infringing Blizzard's intellectual property on a massive scale. Blizzard claims the defendants have taken steps to conceal their identities and operate servers through a Russia-based organization known for enabling cybercriminals.

Blizzard is seeking the shutdown of Project Ascension, the handover of all infringing materials, monetary relief, and a full account of the earnings. Project Ascension is one of the last large private servers standing after Blizzard's actions against other servers earlier this year. Fans speculate that Blizzard's recent crackdown on private servers may hint at a new version of WoW Classic in the works, possibly to be revealed at BlizzCon in September.