A recent United Kingdom judicial decision has established that virtual currency, such as the gold pieces found in the game Old School RuneScape, can indeed be classified as property for legal purposes under the Theft Act of 1968. This significant ruling arises from a lawsuit involving a former developer from Jagex, the creators of RuneScape, who stands accused of illicitly obtaining hundreds of billions of in-game gold from numerous player accounts and subsequently converting it into Bitcoin, totaling an estimated value exceeding $700,000.
Lord Justice Popplewell presided over the case, meticulously examining whether the digital gold held sufficient characteristics to be considered property. Despite the virtual nature of the assets, the court acknowledged that in-game progress and the acquisition of such currency often require considerable player effort and time. The judge concluded that any item that can be actively traded and holds perceived value, both within the game's ecosystem and through external markets, can be subject to dishonest appropriation. This stance was bolstered by the evidence of real-world transactions involving RuneScape gold, thereby validating its status as something capable of being stolen.
This landmark judgment follows a similar incident in 2018 where a Jagex moderator, known as 'Mod Jed,' was terminated for pilfering 45 billion gold coins. While that earlier case focused on the sufficiency of the employer's investigation into the theft rather than the legal status of the virtual gold itself, the current ruling explicitly addresses and affirms the 'stealability' of in-game assets. This judicial precedent underscores the evolving legal landscape surrounding digital economies and the increasing need for robust frameworks to protect virtual property, ensuring that acts of digital appropriation are met with appropriate legal consequences and upholding fairness in the digital realm.
