What's Going On With Mojang's Servers

Is there some way to allow BC to stay? Maybe open it up to the public and allow only 1 plot each? I don't know; I'd just be really disappointed if BC had to go.

 

Ok one mojang makes no profit off of servers only users buying accounts and realms. Two they are not shutting servers down even if they did make profit they still would. But Mojang does not make profit off of servers if players donate to servers the owner gets it not mojang.

 

I really hope We can keep our bc plots also. I have some builds that I would just be really disapointed to see go.

 

Told you. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4707 (somewhat)

It is outright WRONG to attack the Mojang Servers for a change you don't want. Although I am unhappy for this change, I hope Mojang can set up some firewalls.

 

FWIW, I have read a *lot* on this issue- everything from tweets to Skype chat logs to reddit forums and other server administrator community boards - it certainly applies to me. All of this is personal interpretation and opinion based on everything I've read, and my personal witnessing of the unfolding of the events that led to this "new" EULA:

The History:

It all started with this tweet: https://twitter.com/Marc_IRL/status/471371477242376192

Originally, the Minecraft EULA basically let anybody that developed anything for Minecraft charge money for it. You can see that version here: http://wayback.archive.org/web/20110408232718/http:/www.minecraft.net/copyright.jsp

It changed a few times since then, but the most recent change was in December 2013. You can see the full text here: https://account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula. As of now, this is still the version on their website, but it will likely change come August 1.

The important part of this here reads (emphasis mine):

This EULA - in effect since 11 December 2013, strictly forbids anybody from making any money whatsoever off of Minecraft. This would restrict YouTubers from monetizing their videos, as well as server owners from even accepting donations. It very clearly forbids making commercial use of the game.

Now, with that in mind, if you go back to Minecon 2013, they had an entire panel based on how to monetize a multiplayer Minecraft server. There were owners and administrators of the world's largest servers sitting on this panel - invited, sanctioned, and essentially blessed by Mojang not only to do what they were doing, but to teach others how to do the same. Then, two months later, this "updated" EULA is released, quite silently, and nobody paid any notice to it nor did Mojang make a big deal or even mention the fact that servers were making money off of their game.

The world of Minecraft servers went on happily as it always did.

Then Marc_IRL tweeted that proverbial "shot heard 'round the world". Server owners were ablaze. They demanded clarification. Players got involved. There was a Skype chat with dozens of the world's largest server operators - the same people that attended the last Minecon - where Grumm was in attendance. (Grumm was one of the guys hired by Mojang that used to work on Craftbukkit - and is currently working on the official "Mod API" that will replace craftbukkit). Grumm was very outward and quite belligerent with these server owners, and they were being told, for the first time, that all of their packages they use to earn money to stay afloat - were against the EULA. He threatened to send lawyers, etc., and really stirred the pot of anxiety. All from a guy that was just a developer - he deals with nothing on the business end of things, and really from a company standpoint, had no business even sharing his personal opinions on the matter so publicly. The entire log of this chat is available online, but I will not link it here because it contains lots of bad language.

And more clarification was demanded in an official capacity. This led to the "EULA FAQ" posted on Mojang's blog here: https://mojang.com/2014/06/lets-talk-server-monetisation-the-follow-up-qa/

The date on that was June 16. It is now 1.5 months later and there has not been another peep of information from Mojang since. The August 1 date they declared is very near. The old EULA is still on their website. There has been 1.5 months of outrage and protest since that blog post. And not one ounce of further information from them.

My Personal Opinion

Had Marc_IRL never made that initial tweet, none of this mess would have ever happened. I do not believe Mojang "has it out for" big servers. I also don't believe that they are trying to "remove competition" and push Realms - they just don't have the capacity to do that. I do think that they were sick of getting calls from angry parents whose kids stole a credit card and charged up hundreds of dollars of VIP/kits/gear on bad servers. But that tweet began a whole mess - a mess of players, staff, administrators, and owners who all wanted to know what exactly was meant, and Mojang had to answer. This "new EULA" is that answer.

I believe that Mojang was perfectly happy with the way things were. Sure, they would have loved to stop angry phone calls, but the community is what makes Minecraft what it is. Those massive servers employ the people who develop cool new things that make their game fun. And they do it because they get rewarded for it monetarily.

Mojang was forced to act. They weren't given a choice. Between the tweet from Marc_IRL and the Skype chat with Grumm, they had to do something. From a business's point of view, they can't come out and just say "sure, develop whatever you want based on our stuff and charge whatever you want for it, we don't care". They have to protect their brand and their assets. They have lawyers telling them what they can and cannot say. This is the best thing they could get from those lawyers.

I truly believe that if they could go back and prevent those two events from occurring, they would gladly do so. They don't want this EULA any more than we do. But they need the "firepower" to shut down truly abusive servers should they find the need to do that. They've had that firepower all along, but never used it.

The current EULA, forbidding everything, has been in effect since 11 December 2013. They never enforced it. They never shut down a server because of it. I believe they are silent because they are hoping and praying that this all goes away and blows over and things just go back to the way they were.

This new EULA at least allows some things to be monetized. It's more than what we have now. I don't believe they will enforce this one either. Unfortunately, people won't let it go. People keep asking "can I offer this?" "Can people buy these things?" There are also going to be kids running around and reporting every server they can find and demanding that Mojang shut them down for violating the EULA. Kids that don't understand that the servers they love to play on can't exist without those "VIP packages" that they sell.

Will Mojang act on this? Will they enforce it? Or will the world of Minecraft servers just go on as it has been for the past four years?

That is what remains to be seen.

 

Man This mojang server thing is really doing it I'm seeing whats going on with the mojang server thing

 

Mojang's New EULA ---> Minecraft Server's won't make enough money ---> Multiplayer will be practically destroyed.

 

Lets not stress out too much. I don't know what to think, but the one thing that will only make it worse is making a big deal out of it. Sure, it may or may not have some bad consequences, but if we just go "OH NO MOJANG IS RUINING EVERTHING" then we sort of lose track of how, in the end, this might not be all that big of a deal. As long as servers comply, they can still charge entry fees and accept donations. Just don't freak out too much, OK?

 

What about sandlot? I'm gonna dig a cellar just in case. :lol:

 

This. I don't know much about the EULA, but I don't think it's right to stress over it. Mojang will find a compromise. To be honest, I don't really know or care what will happen to those big minigame servers, but I know The Sandlot isn't going down any time soon.

 

Am I the only one who actually read cheracc's post? I have to agree that this seems like Mojang being forced to stick to exaggerations previously made so they have a way to punish servers with very bad practices but leave legitimate ones like the Sandlot running.

 

Will sandlot stay online? If the donation feature is going to be "illegal" is sandlot going to lose the vip rank?

 

I really reallly really! hope you can keep this server going, i've played on other servers but this is by far the best

 

What if we donate and donaters get the donater rank which has the same stuff as VIP? So technicaly your donating and getting a free rank, not buying one.

 

I am locking this post before it gets out of hand. Please do not make new topics regarding (the legality of) VIP or the EULA. If anything changes I will make an announcement. If you feel that you *really* need to address this subject with me in some way, do so by emailing me at cheracc@sandlotminecraft.com.

As of today (August 1) @MojangSupport announced on Twitter (omg how professional /sarcasm) that the EULA was not actually changing and that the current EULA remains in effect. As such, I will not be changing our current VIP benefits unless:

• Legal clarification is offered by Mojang (twitter and blog posts do not constitute legal notification), or
• Evidence becomes available that Mojang has begun enforcing the current EULA, or
• I am contacted by an authority at Mojang with further clarifying information.

Just to clarify and hopefully answer questions:

• The Sandlot is not shutting down.
• The Sandlot is not shutting down.
• The Sandlot is not shutting down.

Please, carry on.

Thanks.