Thousands of Hearthstone Players Banned For Using Bots

Blizzard states it will not tolerate cheating; this round of bans end in 2015.

Blizzard Entertainment announced it has banned thousands of Hearthstone players for using third-party programs that automate gameplay. The company states use of bots does not constitute fair play, and these thousands of players are banned from Hearthstone until an undisclosed date in 2015.

This round of bans appears to be akin to a harsh warning as 2015 is nearly two months away. However, Blizzard stated any accounts cheating will be banned permanently and without warning.

Bot software allows people to play the game endlessly in the background. This makes leveling up significantly easier. In August, the presence of bots in Hearthstone prompted the community manager to make a locked forum post noting “a fun, fair, and competitive environment is at the very heart of the Hearthstone experience” and that using of third-party programs to automate gameplay is a violation of the company’s Terms of Use.

“We’re committed to creating a fun and rewarding environment for our players, and we will continue to closely monitor activities within Hearthstone and take appropriate action against cheating in any form, as outlined in our Terms of Use,” Blizzard stated yesterday. “From this point on, accounts found to be cheating will be permanently closed without warning.”

Blizzard asks people who think they have encountered a bot to report it to Blizzard’s Hacks team.

Source: Blizzard