10 Video Games That Punish You For Cheating

2. Botters Get Put On Trial - Runescape

Runescape
Jagex

It's truly a testament to Runescape's popularity that, even almost a whole quarter-century after its release, the MMORPG is still attracting thousands upon thousands of loyal players per day.

Naturally a game of this sort is also going to lure its fair share of cheaters who use bots to do their bidding, but developer Jagex came up with a hilarious solution back in 2012.

At this point, the game was updated with a new area called Botany Bay - a prison where players caught using bots, hacks, and other illicit assist tools were put on trial in a courtroom-of-sorts surrounded by some of their real-life peers.

The Botfinder General then gives the accused a firm dressing-down while players can lob rotten tomatoes at them, and after they're found guilty, it's up to players to vote on their fate.

The offender can be crushed to death, eaten by a worm, or incinerated. The real outcome is that first infractions will result in a 24-hour ban, followed by a 48-hour ban for a repeat offense, and then a permaban if they cheat a third time.

Props to Jagex for committing the resources to assembling a theatrical kangaroo court to deal with cheaters rather than just quietly wiping them out.

 
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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.