Steam has removed a fan-created weapon skin from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive after receiving a DMCA takedown notice.
The offending item was the ‘M4A4 Howl’ skin, one of the most expensive items on the market. The DMCA takedown came after DeviantArt user CalvinAlbus pointed out the similarities between an image used in the weapon skin and his own work.
Valve’s response was swift and almost Judge Dredd-like in its brutality. Here’s an excerpt from a statement released today.
| Recently we received a DMCA takedown notice regarding copyright infringement with respect to the the M4A4 | Howl, and a community sticker, Howling Dawn, claiming that the artwork was not originally created by the stated contributors. This matter is extremely serious, and we have taken appropriate action to resolve it. |
For the items in question, the following steps have been taken:
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Both contributors have received Steam Community bans. They receive no proceeds from either item, and both items have been removed from the game.
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For owners of the M4A4 Howl and Howling Dawn sticker, those items have been replaced by an alternative designed by the CS:GO team. These items will never be produced again, and have been assigned the ‘Contraband’ rarity. -
All other in-game items that involve at least one of the contributors in their revenue share have been discontinued.
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The Huntsman Case and Community Sticker Capsule have been revised to replace the copied and discontinued items.
- Moving forward, we will no longer work with the contributors and we will not ship any existing Workshop submission that credits their involvement.
| Those punishments don’t seem to have stopped the community’s interest in the now unavailable item. Exisitng copies [url=http://steamcommunity.com/market/listings/730/StatTrak%E2%84%A2%20M4A4%20 | %20Howl%20%28Minimal%20Wear%29]have been going[/url] for as much as $400 on Steam’s marketplace trading. |
