The Minecraft Eula Storm

[501warhead 1796]

So I'm going to kick this off with being 'That Guy'.

 

I'm going to address something most of us don't have a problem with, nor do we really notice all that often. We've had it on the server for sometime and it's just always been there.

 

Donations.

 

As of late Mojang has begun speaking out about the mass violation of their ToS. Now, at first glance this doesn't seem like an issue, but they are speaking out about a very specific portion of it - Reselling the game. This is widespread with plugins like we use now called Buycraft, among others, where a simple 'donation' gets you 'gifts'. Some money for some benefits.

 

But this brings up a question; Isn't reselling the game against the EULA? Well, let's take a look in depth:

 

https://account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula

 

make commercial use of anything we‘ve made;

 

 

…and so that we are crystal clear, what we have made includes, but is not limited to, the client or the server software for our Game. It also includes modified versions of a Game, part of it or anything else we‘ve made.

 

 

That stands as a yes. Oh, but wait, aren't we using 'donations'? We aren't reselling the game, we're just giving out benefits for donating.

 

Well, that is a rather widespread issue and the very source of this whole thing. When you pay money to get something in return it's not a 'Donation'. It's a Purchase - that's the very definition of it. As _jeb himself pointed out -

 

• Handing out "rewards" for "donations" may count as tax evasion, and may be illegal depending on where you live.

   

   

(http://www.reddit.com/r/Minecraft/comments/27ga86/psa_an_insight_into_the_minecraft_eula_issue/ci0m7zd)

 

Oh boy, now we're going deep. Well, Mojang hasn't done anything about it until now, why would they begin? There are bigger servers than us doing it, right?

 

Correct, and they are gathering together against this believing it unfair and unjust to be unable to resell the game. However, this is honestly just an issue being brought finally to light. You see, Mojang has every right to enforce this if they desire. Why? You, as well as everyone who bought a valid copy of Minecraft, Signed the EULA. That means you agreed to the ToS. Now, as yourself, do you recall any of it? No? Well, there's your issue. You, and many like you, sign things without reading them. For the most part it means nothing; you do it anyway and you abide by it without knowing, but when money transactions come into play it's probably best to understand the ToS of the platform you are using/selling.

 

Now, We're sitting here as an innocent RP server floating by these Purchases. It funds our server and keeps it going, but now it's suddenly a violation of Minecraft's ToS. But why would they ever do anything to hurt this little old server? We're not doing any harm.

 

We happen to have ties through several larger servers to our little old RP server here that could potentially catch fire should action ever be taken. Even more so it's the principle of it that matters, and at the very least acknowledge what we're paying for - it's not a donation. It's a purchase, and I should be able to claim a refund for it if I desire as well as be treated like such - to have my purchase acknowledged and unchanged.

 

There is no official statement yet; everything I am writing now is a result of conjecture on top of Mojang Employee's comments, but it does bring some specific things of the server to light. Until a full statement is made there isn't much to do other than just prepare for the worst.

 

SOURCES:

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/Minecraft/comments/27ga86/psa_an_insight_into_the_minecraft_eula_issue/

https://twitter.com/notch/status/474869769301409792

http://www.reddit.com/r/Minecraft/comments/274hmr/psa_about_donators_half_of_you_people_dont_know/

https://account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula

 

Aaaand, Thump.

 

 

 

 

[Lyuin 65]

I'll be one of the first to say: Oh sh*t.

[Heero 4092]

Huh? What's that? The scent of burning oak? Oh look. Mojang's burning bridges!

[Hiebe 2493]

Dont expect mc servers to last.long then

[Kickstarted and Running 965]

I've been saying this for like two years. I don't think it will be too much of a shock when servers get shut down for this. If they do.

[Lago 2572]

Likely some idiot new legal employee spraying his testosterone around because he can. Bethesda's got them too.

[ARCHITECUS 4788]

I've been saying this for like two years. I don't think it will be too much of a shock when servers get shut down for this. If they do.

 

Dont expect mc servers to last.long then

 

Why would mojang care? Those swedes don't get any money out of it.

[Neri 3590]

Big busy servers can only be good for Mojang business, I don't get why they are suddenly up in arms over it.

 

Reminds me of that big argument over monetized videogame playthroughs on Youtube that actually caused a monetary loss for the company trying to get their grubby hands on the money the youtubers were earning. 

 

I haven't read into it but my uninformed opinion is that Mojang doesn't realise how badly banning transactions for servers would reflect upon their reputation and further profits.

[paulie 181]

so you want vip for free?

[501warhead 1796]

Likely some idiot new legal employee spraying his testosterone around because he can. Bethesda's got them too.

_Jeb is the lead developer of minecraft and Notch himself has even posted - it's not a single employee.

 

Big busy servers can only be good for Mojang business, I don't get why they are suddenly up in arms over it.

 

Reminds me of that big argument over monetized videogame playthroughs on Youtube that actually caused a monetary loss for the company trying to get their grubby hands on the money the youtubers were earning. 

 

I haven't read into it but my uninformed opinion is that Mojang doesn't realise how badly banning transactions for servers would reflect upon their reputation and further profits.

There is no official statement - perhaps they will be lax, but their issue with it is the way servers are handled currently reflects badly on mojang. They feel it targets kids and tricks them into buying stuff that they feel they have to buy - that it's taking advantage of Minecraft's average playerbase.

[501warhead 1796]

so you want vip for free?

I haven't made this for my own benefit - I Purchased all I felt I needed and I'm fine. I've just heard too many times about stories of the staff refusing certain things under the guise that 'it's a donation' varying from refusing refunds to refusing to reestablish some donator's ranks because they aren't obligated to because it's just a 'donation'

[Samson Option 9652]

If servers are allowed to exist, LotC will be fine and I will be fine.

 

If servers are barred and LotC inevitably would have to shut down, LotC will not be fine and I will be fine.

[no longer active 734]

The entire thing started from a conversation. The Mojang person mentioned it and suddenly everyone got pissed. Mojan isn't stupid, they won't stop the server selling items. He also mentions how they will be updating their ToS, probably to be very specific on what servers can and can't sell.

[Rhia 936]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.