Otaku closed down

I heard on Habbo today that there was protests on Habbo.fr something about Otaku getting taken to court and forced to close down by Sulake(?).

Anyway Otaku I believe sold emulators for Habbo retros and part of its forum went into the development of Habbo retros. If anyone knows anymore feel free to add, as I really don't know that much about them.

Could this mean Habbo is finally taking action on retros?

http://oi38.tinypic.com/2v1nh9e.jpg

http://ragezone.com/wp-content/uploa...04/Va5zsIK.png

http://ragezone.com/wp-content/uploa...04/XRiREOw.png

Heres an article I found on google:

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Phoenix, the most popular Habbo Hotel emulator has finally closed their doors after founder and head developer Aaron ‘Sojobo’ Marshall was issued with a court order several days ago. The court order ceased company assets that linked to the developers car. With the closing of Otaku , community members have voiced their concerns and support via the RaGEZONE forums. We contacted Sojobo about the matter and he the following statement;

I’d like to thank everyone who helped and supported Otaku Studios over the years, it’s been a fun learning experience for me and it’s a real shame it had to end this way. I don’t want to say anything more specific at this point as the case is open and I’m not really sure what happens next as the documents I was served with aren’t even in English – it took me a few days just to work out that I had to turn off my websites and the papers themselves are.. lengthy.

What the future holds for the Habbo Hotel development scene remains a mystery but one thing is for certain, Sulake is out for blood.

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They've been taking action on retros for a while...

an article I read that was posted on TH said that they came to his house

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Originally Posted by Emily

an article I read that was posted on TH said that they came to his house

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Yeah i've been reading his Twitter. https://twitter.com/SojoboOtaku

Took Sulake quite a while then as I assume they must have got a number of notices about copyright beforehand? But this time it seems they have gone in with full force.

WOW ACTION IS BEING MADE! :D

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"They came to my door, gave me some letters (none of them english -.-) and asked for the car. I refused. The police was called."

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One of the tweets - Good luck to him I guess. As I assume they will be asking for quite a bit of money which he probably doesn't have by the looks of what he is saying on twitter.

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Originally Posted by xxMATTGxx

One of the tweets

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Makes me wonder what car it was, and how much he actually made from selling retro emulators.

ahhaha the song on their website

http://otaku.cm/

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Originally Posted by Michaeel

Makes me wonder what car it was, and how much he actually made from selling retro emulators.

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I think he had a Mini.

all those french wanting it to reopen plzzz

i think it was a mini:

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6...3daa91266d.png

and what would happen if he doesnt pay? :L

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/4...42ea31f7ec.png

I am glad they have done this! I for one think the retros are taking Habbo's Population! Less People on = Less Room Population! Like when that one big retro closed! Habbo.com had like twice what they usually run!

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Originally Posted by Skandair

i think it was a mini:

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6...3daa91266d.png

and what would happen if he doesnt pay? :L

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/4...42ea31f7ec.png

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Hopefully people will learn a lesson from this, though.

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Originally Posted by Skandair

i think it was a mini:

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6...3daa91266d.png

and what would happen if he doesnt pay? :L

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/4...42ea31f7ec.png

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Probably depends on the legal system in the country he is in. Not sure what they will do specifically.

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Originally Posted by Michaeel

Hopefully people will learn a lesson from this, though.

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Yeah, it's pretty unfair and as well known illegal. I would feel sorry for him but he brought it on himself. :|

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Originally Posted by HabboSwat

I am glad they have done this! I for one think the retros are taking Habbo's Population! Less People on = Less Room Population! Like when that one big retro closed! Habbo.com had like twice what they usually run!

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Habbo won't get population back from this, if anything it will create more retros

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Originally Posted by xxMATTGxx

Probably depends on the legal system in the country he is in. Not sure what they will do specifically.

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Yeah I guess, well at least somethings happening and maybe other people who run/develop retros will back off? Maybe... not a great place to me in the first place. :P

For those that are properly interested in Aaron, or are pretending not to know him so they don't give away the fact that they too have run a retro, here is a little bit of a low-down.

In around 2005, a server that emulated the "first" version of Habbo was released, various people took it up and began to play with it. Out of those people, a few of us grouped together (people such as ThuGiE, Myrax, USA111, Flex, Genaga) and started to build a server that emulated Habbo's current version (which at the time was version 9).

After we achieved a reasonable level of emulation, Aaron Marshal (then just 'Sojobo'), started developing a version of his own named 'Otaku Hotel', and began to sell it at around £20 a pop. This was in 2006. Fast forward a few years, he renames the forum he ran (then hw-forum) to 'Otaku', and rebrands the server as 'Phoenix'.

He made enough money off of it to purchase a house in another country, move there and set-up shop. The house he bought wasn't especially pretty, but after living there for about 2 years now he had sort of made it his home.

Jump to today, as of writing this post it is now my belief that not only has his car been taken, but his house too. Sulake are seeking over half a million in damages (or so his lawyers tell him).

I think it's important to note, that this could have happened due to funding from Elisa, over the years he has received literally hundreds of DMCA notices to stop what he was doing, he just ignored them all. What has happened really is pretty tragic, but I hold no sympathy for the guy.

Saw all this drama go down on another forum last night, he ultimately deserved it. A lot of inexperienced retro owners who simply used Phoenix are a tad screwed now.

But yes, this won't stop retros - it's a wonderful start though Sulake.

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Originally Posted by Intersocial

Saw all this drama go down on another forum last night, he ultimately deserved it. A lot of inexperienced retro owners who simply used Phoenix are a tad screwed now.

But yes, this won't stop retros - it's a wonderful start though Sulake.

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Sort of does, if they set a precedence in this case based on him making money on retros that he managed, then they can essentially go after any other retro on almost exactly the same grounds.

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Originally Posted by Abdicators

For those that are properly interested in Aaron, or are pretending not to know him so they don't give away the fact that they too have run a retro, here is a little bit of a low-down.

In around 2005, a server that emulated the "first" version of Habbo was released, various people took it up and began to play with it. Out of those people, a few of us grouped together (people such as ThuGiE, Myrax, USA111, Flex, Genaga) and started to build a server that emulated Habbo's current version (which at the time was version 9).

After we achieved a reasonable level of emulation, Aaron Marshal (then just 'Sojobo'), started developing a version of his own named 'Otaku Hotel', and began to sell it at around £20 a pop. This was in 2006. Fast forward a few years, he renames the forum he ran (then hw-forum) to 'Otaku', and rebrands the server as 'Phoenix'.

He made enough money off of it to purchase a house in another country, move there and set-up shop. The house he bought wasn't especially pretty, but after living there for about 2 years now he had sort of made it his home.

Jump to today, as of writing this post it is now my belief that not only has his car been taken, but his house too. Sulake are seeking over half a million in damages (or so his lawyers tell him).

I think it's important to note, that this could have happened due to funding from Elisa, over the years he has received literally hundreds of DMCA notices to stop what he was doing, he just ignored them all. What has happened really is pretty tragic, but I hold no sympathy for the guy.

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That was rather interesting to read and thanks for the details... he kinda deserves it but yeahhhh. :(

Essentially the biggest development in Habbo, ever. Sulake have won the case if they have reclaimed his house and car. Now they have won one case, it will be referred to in future cases. If I was anything to do with retros I'd sever my links immediately which is exactly what most of us and Sulake want.

Good move hope to see more.

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Originally Posted by Abdicators

Sort of does, if they set a precedence in this case based on him making money on retros that he managed, then they can essentially go after any other retro on almost exactly the same grounds.

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Sorry I phrased that incorrectly. I meant that there will still be a few people determined to try and own/run/manage a retro regardless of this case (now that Phoenix one of the 'bigger' competitors is out of the way) - so retros will probably be here for a good few months still, but yes this has probably scared a large percentage of them into "shutting up shop".

Lmao I just read that his documents weren't in English, bet that was fun.

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Originally Posted by Intersocial

Sorry I phrased that incorrectly. I meant that there will still be a few people determined to try and own/run/manage a retro regardless of this case (now that Phoenix one of the 'bigger' competitors is out of the way) - so retros will probably be here for a good few months still, but yes this has probably scared a large percentage of them into "shutting up shop".

Lmao I just read that his documents weren't in English, bet that was fun.

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I found that bit a bit disturbing really. I agree with them taking action against him. For them to take it this far they must have some background information on him and would subsequently know he was English speaking. From his Twitter he made it sound like he asked for help and they said he has to translate it himself. So essentially, he can't make sense of the documentation and has no idea what exactly has gone on.

Seeing as you have to be fluent in English to work for Sulake it's a bit low.

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Originally Posted by edible

I found that bit a bit disturbing really. I agree with them taking action against him. For them to take it this far they must have some background information on him and would subsequently know he was English speaking. From his Twitter he made it sound like he asked for help and they said he has to translate it himself. So essentially, he can't make sense of the documentation and has no idea what exactly has gone on.

Seeing as you have to be fluent in English to work for Sulake it's a bit low.

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Maybe he got the language of the country of which he lives in, so they expected him to know it

About time Sulake cracked down on Retro hotels, it's a step in the right direction.

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Originally Posted by edible

I found that bit a bit disturbing really. I agree with them taking action against him. For them to take it this far they must have some background information on him and would subsequently know he was English speaking. From his Twitter he made it sound like he asked for help and they said he has to translate it himself. So essentially, he can't make sense of the documentation and has no idea what exactly has gone on.

Seeing as you have to be fluent in English to work for Sulake it's a bit low.

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The reason he received the papers in bulgarian is because that is where he lives! Terribly harsh considering he doesn't speak it, but they're complying with the law and that is all.

Meh, I'm sad and happy at the closure. I used this emu time-to-time for personal things.

Deserves it. He seems a bit of a moron to think nothing would come of it. He gets no sympathy from me and shouldn't get it from others.

Also, how the hell could afford a house and a car from the sale of retros (and why on earth did people buy them)? It doesn't seem like it was that popular to of made that much money.

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Originally Posted by Michaeel

Maybe he got the language of the country of which he lives in, so they expected him to know it

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Originally Posted by Abdicators

The reason he received the papers in bulgarian is because that is where he lives! Terribly harsh considering he doesn't speak it, but they're complying with the law and that is all.

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Yeah I know it's well within the law but the fact some was in Finnish is inexcusable. They would know exactly who he is to take it this far and I think they've done it on purpose probably out of frustration.

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Originally Posted by GommeInc

Deserves it. He seems a bit of a moron to think nothing would come of it. He gets no sympathy from me and shouldn't get it from others.

Also, how the hell could afford a house and a car from the sale of retros (and why on earth did people buy them)? It doesn't seem like it was that popular to of made that much money.

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Actually, he made a rather hefty sum of money to be fair. There are retros that actively make thousands per month from advertisements alone.

---------- Post added 24-04-2013 at 09:10 PM ----------

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Originally Posted by edible

Yeah I know it's well within the law but the fact some was in Finnish is inexcusable. They would know exactly who he is to take it this far and I think they've done it on purpose probably out of frustration.

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Well, knowing who he is doesn't immediately say that they know he doesn't speak Bulgarian. As he lives in Bulgaria it's an easy assumption. I do agree though that when he asked for translation help, that it was very harsh to say "do it yourself".

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Originally Posted by Abdicators

Actually, he made a rather hefty sum of money to be fair. There are retros that actively make thousands per month from advertisements alone.

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Seriously? That's quite interesting :P It's incredibly risky though, so you can't be all that surprised when and if they are caught.

the french are revolting again lol

but o/t i'm glad, some people actually spent money on retros and some of them reached a ridiculous number of users online

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Originally Posted by GommeInc

Seriously? That's quite interesting :P It's incredibly risky though, so you can't be all that surprised when and if they are caught.

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Yep, really. At the time I guess it seemed to alot of people not to be so scary, Sulake were sending out constant DMCA notices and trying their best to balls rolling (despite what some of this forums users may think). Like I said though, I think after Elisa came in, they put their foot down and said enough.

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Originally Posted by GommeInc

Also, how the hell could afford a house and a car from the sale of retros (and why on earth did people buy them)? It doesn't seem like it was that popular to of made that much money.

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Phoenix was incredibly popular. That plus the advertisements mentioned below it was incredibly easy to become very rich via that method. Also (this may not necessarily apply to Aaron) but if a person happens to own one of the popular retros that get a couple of hundred+ on at peak times, they're going to gain a lot of income via selling VIP/Other premium subs. and stuff like customs via paypal.

It's a silly risk to take for the money really :P

Felt sorry for him at first, but if he really was sent that many notices/warnings to take it down, then it's his own fault for not using that chance to just stop what he was doing.

don't feel sorry for him at all he had enough warnings and off topic but - why move to a country where you can't speak its language?

lol gutted. Anyone who spends years developing and selling something that is obviously gonna get you in the end is stupid

it's common sense that doing what he did would result in this but it seems he got lost in the money and now has been ****** harder in the arse than ever before

Well if he doesnt have the money to pay it i guess they do as they have done and seize all assets to make up as much of the value as possible, then he will have to declare bankruptcy which will essentially knock off the rest of what he owes (providing he can prove he is truly at 0 or below)

community service may also be applied

It may seem petty to some people but clearly this guy isn't just some kid in his room messing around with files if he was able to buy a house and car from this.