22 y/o gamer gets 3 years community service for SWATing game developer's office

[thewayne]

The guy had been banned from Rainbow Six Siege multiple times, the article doesn't say why, and called in a hostage situation at Ubisoft's office, the game maker, resulting in a SWAT response and several streets in the area being closed. Now, here's the best bit of the article: "After being charged, La Presse reported (via Polygon) that Ouahioune pleaded for Ubisoft to unban his account. "Can you say that I am kindly asking the Ubisoft team to 'unban' my account please," Ouahioune said. "I have put over $1,500 in cosmetic enhancements in my profile."

Yeah. I just scared the ever-loving shit out of your employees, pretty-please unban my account! Oh, he also made threats against Minecraft developers and apparently participated in a DDoS attack against the French government.

At least his conviction includes a psych eval and treatment. And no one was hurt - this happened in Canada where the police aren't quite as eager to shoot as in the USA.

https://www.engadget.com/miffed-rainbow-six-seige-player-sentenced-for-swatting-ubisoft-montreals-offices-201200746.html

Comments

[silveradept]

It is good that no one was hurt of killed, either in the initial hoax or in the arrest and conviction of the person that did it. Still, it's surprising that this is favored enough of a tactic to still be in use.

[thewayne]

I hate to do a 'Kids today!' but there definitely seems to be a lack of appreciation of other people amongst certain communities, e.g. gamers.  Do they consider the people on the other end to be digital abstractions?  Do they consider actions that they take against other people to be lulz with no consequences?  I just don't get it.  I would say they need to go outdoors and interact with real people, but that seems to be becoming a genuine problem for younger generations, and I shudder to think what they'll be like in another 30-40 years!  I'll be gone by then, but someone will have to deal with it.

[silveradept]

I think you're seeing a more obvious facet in gamers, because they don't appear to only restrict their unpersoning to specific racial, religious, or other identity groups, and because, at least for the most part, we've managed to convey the idea that burning crosses and engaging in public lynchings is not behavior to be encouraged.