Blizzard Still Auto-Banning Linux Users In Diablo 3

Feels like topic-necromancy right here, eh? Well, Blizzard isn't completely off hook when it comes to Diablo III. We've received reports of Linux-Wine users getting hit hard with the banhammer from Blizzard's auto-ban service and it's the WineHQ holocaust all over again.

After taking a gulp of some patented Diablo III Haterade™, it was time to hit the ax-grinding button and grind some grief against Blizzard, old-school style.

If you head over to the WineHQ forums you'll notice that a few Linux users are already lamenting their auto-bans. Just like the cases of Marcus Meng and William Taylor, the auto-bans went into effect a few weeks after Linux users started playing the game. One of the users, going by the username of Nothing, responded to another user who also found himself royally banned, saying...

You too? Interesting. I've also only been playing a couple of weeks and I got a ban letter at 10:01 pm last night. Right now I would say don't play under Wine, especially not in a 64 bit OS with PlayOnLinux.As soon as Blizzard ignores my ticket I'm going to issue a chargeback on my credit card. I suggest you do the same.For all of the people here and elsewhere saying that everyone banned using Linux/Wine was cheating, screw you. You're part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Testy, testy.

I can see why Nothing would be angry, though. When we originally reported on the bans, most readers sided with Blizzard saying that they were just banning cheaters, as insinuated by community manager Bashiok. However, when speaking directly with Blizzard about the bans we never received confirmation that the Linux users were actually in violation of their terms of service nor was there any evidence provided by Blizzard to confirm that the auto-bans were in fact from a result of direct service exploitation. In other words, Blizzard never confirmed that these guys were actually cheating.

Nothing, whose name is actually Leon K., eventually reached out to us about the issue, stating that...

FYI, I was also banned from WoW several years ago for running it under Linux/Wine. The kicker about that story is that my wife's account was banned as well simply because it was paid for with the same credit card!They never unbanned my WoW account, and I don't expect I'll be getting my D3 account back either. I'll be issuing a chargeback on my credit card since I've only had the game for a couple of weeks.I'm so done with Blizzard at this point.

It's really unfortunate but these bans are identical to all the bans that went out before resulting in the uproar over the Linux WineHQ fiasco. It would also make sense why so many Linux users weren't reporting any sort of auto-bans at the time, because it seems to happen after several weeks as opposed to taking place instantaneously.

If you're running WineHQ and you've been banned from Diablo III feel free to make a post or let Blizzard know. While Linux may be unsupported it doesn't mean they have the right to void your $60 when you get auto-banned without a proper explanation or any measure of recourse.

We'll keep you updated on the story as it continues to unfold.

Will Usher

Staff Writer at CinemaBlend.