Sometimes, they use cheats to find hidden features, also called Easter eggs, such as the notorious virtual sex scene in the game Grand Theft Auto.

"They beat the game and they go through the game a second time," Allison said. "This time, they're able to go through the game and have infinite health and weapons and blow things up for fun."

pleadings filed in U.S. District Court, Crave Online's lawyer, Gregg Anderson of Greenberg Traurig, contends that game cheats are embedded in the games by their authors and cannot be copyrighted by someone like Allison.

But game authors acknowledge and encourage the use of cheats by gamers who are trying to get through all the levels and aspects of a game. Sometimes authors will post cheats in chat rooms or message boards to ignite interest in a game, said Manifesto Games chief executive Greg Costikyan.

"It's a way of extending the life of a game," he said. "It's also a way of getting people through obstacles they otherwise might not be able to get through."

Randy Picker, a University of Chicago law professor who specializes in intellectual property issues, says the facts can't be copyrightable - unless they are expressed in an original and creative way.

Regardless of how Allison's lawsuit is resolved - and that could take years - industry watchers said cheating is an integral part of the world of gaming.

"Computers brought us hackers and people who take that kind of pride in seeing things they shouldn't see," Fencott said. "Gaming is an extension of that culture. Of course, when you have that environment, cheating of every kind is going to be prevalent."

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