latest
Back in 2012, the FBI, Department of Justice, and other domestic and foreign entities teamed up to seize three sites that pirated Android apps: Applanet, AppBucket, and SnappzMarket. The fallout for some of the operators of those sites was known within about 18 months of the unprecedented crackdown. For the then-teenager behind Applanet, the largest of the three offending sites, the consequences were not determined until this week: He'll avoid prison time but will be placed under probation with some special conditions.
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a sprawling pirate-themed RPG, a high-end first-person shooter, an impressive runner game, an innovative top-down horror title, a sequel to a puzzle favorite, and a couple of interesting casual games. Without further ado:
Windward is a PC title for schooner and galleon lovers who need the kind of open-ended world only the open seas can offer. To answer the call, this game provides an entire procedurally-generated world for you to explore as you see fit. And you don't have to do it alone. Windward is a journey designed to be undertaken with friends. Create a faction and see how much harm you can do in its cross-platform multiplayer competition.
Arrrrrrrrrre you ready for a new pirate game? No, not pirated. Pirate. We don't advocate stealing on this site. Well, unless you're a pirate—the sailing kind. Captain Sabertooth will let your family members have fun pirating in the good sort of way.
If you've played Gameloft's Modern Combat 5, then statistically speaking, you're almost certainly a pirate. That's because the game hasn't been released yet, and the only ones who have access to the final version are a few people who won a Gameloft contest. At least that's how it's supposed to be - one of the winners passed the game along to some pirates (or just did it themselves), who promptly cracked it and made it available for illegal download.
If you've been following the Applanet/Appbucket criminal case, you know that the Department of Justice and the FBI have been working on bringing charges against a number of high-profile Android app pirates for the last eighteen months. Earlier this month the investigations and arrests paid off, as two of the men responsible for large-scale Android app piracy in the United States pled guilty to conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. The DOJ reported the news on its official public affairs portal.
Software piracy sucks. Ask any developer: app piracy is a major problem on Android, and more so on Android than on other mobile platforms, thanks to the relative ease of installing applications outside of the Google Play Store. But the United States Department of Justice is not turning a blind eye to mobile piracy. The Department charged four men with conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement earlier this week in Georgia's northern federal district court.
Today's the day that Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag launches for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, so you know what that means - it's time to hit up the Play Store to download the companion app. Ubisoft's offering turns your Android tablet into a virtual quartermaster. It provides quick access to the world map, tracks your progress, keeps tabs on communications, and more.
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a 2D WWI dogfight shooter, a pirate shuffleboard game (yes, really), and an excellent example of why you don't give guns to monkeys. Without further ado:
Playmobil, famous for miniature people and toy sets covering themes from knights to doll house life to Native Americans, has partnered with Gameloft to bring their Playmobil Pirates game to the Play Store. While Pirates is significantly different from its Nintendo DS namesake, the game features the same animated Playmobil pirates and environments you'd expect, plenty of missions, and social integration.
One small and two major sites that have a long history of distributing pirated Android apps have been seized in a first of its kind operation conducted by the FBI, DoJ, and a variety of U.S. and foreign governments. These sites are:
Madfinger Games Issues Statement Regarding Dead Trigger Price Drop: 'The Piracy Rate Was Unbelievably High'
Madfinger Games has taken to its Facebook page to make an official statement regarding the decision last Friday to remove the $0.99 price tag from Dead
Madfinger Games has taken to its Facebook page to make an official statement regarding the decision last Friday to remove the $0.99 price tag from Dead Trigger. The decision, which has angered many users who had only recently paid for the game, can be summed up in one word: piracy.
Android users who are fans of Sid Meier's classic games Pirates! and Civilization now have something to look forward to – it appears hat GREE and 2K Games have teamed up to bring the beloved sim/strategy games to the mobile world.
Oh, RIM. You're hemorrhaging customers, executives, and share value. It's painfully obvious you're on track for a disaster of Palm-proportions. And still, your upper-level management fling zingers at the competition that would make anyone but the die-hardest of BlackBerry fans skip the facepalm and go straight to a facedesk. It's almost like watching a Shakespearean tragedy unfold.
Right around the end of last month, we found a new social game by Disney, and to be completely honest, I didn't think it would be that spectacular. This game, of course, is Pirates of the Caribbean: Master of the Seas. Not only is it extremely popular, but it is also oddly addictive. Something about games like this really draw people in and keeps them coming back for more.
Yar Matey! Take to the high seas and plunder all in your path! Disney's new social game, Master of the Seas, promises to be "the first mobile game to combine deep story and brilliant graphics with compelling social gameplay."
Age of Wind 2 indulges the side of us that would like to go off with Captain Jack Sparrow and look to make our own fortune. After an opening "story" sequence where you're tossed overboard from an exceptional ship, you're left to start with your own crew and a smaller vessel, hopefully to achieve success.
Have you ever seen one of those annoying comments on the Android Market promising the riches and all the Android apps in the world for a low-low monthly price of $10? Sites like that pirate paid games and apps off the Market and then distribute them illegally, pocketing all the revenue. That's modern day warez at its finest.