In a landmark operation, Chinese authorities have busted an illicit industry chain responsible for creating and selling AI-based "cheats" for FPS (First-Person Shooter) games. The cheats, which did not require modification of game code, promised amateur players a leg up against professionals. All that was needed was an appropriate graphics card configuration and a companion box device.
The operation began in mid-August when the Cybersecurity Division of Yujiang Public Security discovered an industry chain clue during a routine online patrol. After a month of careful investigation, the police successfully identified and tracked down the suspects, who were profiting by selling these cheats on platforms like WeChat, QQ, and various gaming platforms.
A photo of all the suspects on set
The primary suspect, identified as Wang, had initially purchased the "cheat" to improve his own in-game performance. Finding it effective, Wang decided to act as an agent for the cheat's creator, Zhang, and started selling it to others. Within a year, satisfied with the profits, Wang even established a company dedicated to selling the cheat software.
Assisted by Tencent's Guardian Program Security Team, the Yujiang Cybersecurity Division, in cooperation with the Food and Drug Environmental Investigation and Criminal Investigation Divisions, deployed over 20 officers to locations including Zhejiang and Chongqing. A total of 10 suspects were arrested, including two authors of the cheating programs, one main agent, five first-level agents, and two second-level agents. Equipment including 10 desktop computers, 7 laptops, and 11 smartphones were seized, along with the source code of the cheat software and auxiliary hardware. The illegal activities had generated up to 30 million CNY (approximately 4.6 million USD).
Evidence
All 10 suspects have confessed to their crimes, and the case is still under further investigation. This marks the first successful case in China in cracking down on AI-assisted game cheating schemes.
Source: Weixin