Blizzard is on the receiving end of a class action lawsuit over the company’s account security. The lawsuit, filed against the Santa-Monica developer, states that Blizzard deceptively and unfairly charged customers for extra security devices (authenticators), pulling in $26 million while failing to provide adequate security for people who were not willing to pay an “undisclosed fee.” The lawsuit cites countless accounts that have been breached due to Blizzard’s inadequate security, and seeks to bar Blizzard from “tacking on undisclosed fees,” and from requiring users to sign up for Battle.net.
“Most recently, on or about May 19, 2012, reports proliferated that class members’ Battle.net accounts had suffered a security breach (‘hack’) at the hands of unknown parties (‘hackers’), and on or about August 4, 2012, hackers massively breached Battle.net’s security and acquired the private information of all of defendants’ customers in the United States, as well as the remainder of North America, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.”
Judging by how other class actions end up, players who purchased the authenticator can likely look forward to a $.50 credit coming to their Battle.net account somewhere between 2015-2016.
(Source: Courthouse News)
MMO Fallout 
Perhaps we should take the 50 cent and donate it to the next Blizzard charity campaign. Or educate a lawyer or two what it means to take on cases with low rewards and high costs. Especially if their only chance to success depends on getting a judge who doesn’t like to listen to defendants expert witnesses.
Speaking of expert witnesses, where would the plaintiff find a witness willing to show that it’s all Blizzards fault?
My first reaction was surprise that Blizzard hasn’t stuck an anti-class action statute somewhere in their terms of service. This lawsuit is going to fall short on one issue: the claim that Blizzard either purposely created its security to allow non-Auth users to be hacked, or at least purposely ignored holes so they could turn around and say “buy an authenticator.” Also, the plaintiff seems to believe that the mobile authenticator costs money. Only the dongle does, and that’s because Blizzard has to pay a manufacturer.
I figured a class action would follow eventually after Blizzard was hacked, that isn’t exactly uncommon with big companies, nor are the claims for that matter. I am surprised it took this long. But will they win? Unlikely. More likely they’ll try to get Blizzard to take the cheaper route and settle for a lump sum.
And then you can expect Activision to stick the no-class-action in their EULA, assuming it isn’t in already.