Minecraft Creator Calls ESA’s Private Server Stance ‘Illegal’
▼ Summary
– The California State Senate held a hearing on the Protect Our Games Act, which would require publishers to make games playable after ending support.
– ESA’s VP Jennifer Gibbons claimed private servers like those in Minecraft are “illegal” and a form of “piracy,” comparing them to a gaming “black market.”
– Minecraft’s website provides tools for creating private servers and hosts a browser of custom servers, making the activity officially supported.
– Minecraft creator Markus ‘Notch’ Persson criticized the ESA’s stance as “incredibly scummy” and “borderline evil,” despite no longer being involved with the franchise.
– The ESA later softened its position, stating private servers hosting copyrighted content without authorization infringe on IP rights and lack oversight.
Earlier this month, California lawmakers heard testimony on the Protect Our Games Act, a bill backed by the Stop Killing Games initiative. The legislation would require publishers to ensure their games remain playable after official support ends, with private servers offered as a viable solution. During the hearing, Minecraft was cited as a prime example of how player-run servers can keep a title alive. But the Electronic Software Association pushed back with a controversial claim that stunned many in the gaming community.
Jennifer Gibbons, the ESA’s Vice President of State Government Affairs, testified that private servers are essentially “illegal,” comparing them to “piracy” and a gaming “black market.” She argued that Microsoft had not sanctioned these servers for Minecraft, a statement that directly contradicts reality. Mojang’s official website provides tools for players to set up their own private servers and even hosts a browser filled with custom server listings. The company has long encouraged this practice, making the ESA’s characterization of it as an unsanctioned black market particularly puzzling.
Markus “Notch” Persson, the original creator of Minecraft, did not hold back when reacting to the ESA’s stance. Though he no longer works on the franchise or with Microsoft, he called the organization’s behavior “incredibly scummy” and “borderline evil.” “I did not wish for my work to be used against people,” he said. “I’ve never liked them, but even less so now.”
The ESA later softened its position in a statement provided to IGN. While reaffirming that unauthorized private servers hosting copyrighted content infringe on publishers’ intellectual property rights, the organization acknowledged that publishers may take different approaches. It argued that the provision in CA AB 1921 proposing private servers as a legitimate alternative raises concerns about enforcing IP rights and maintaining trust and safety standards for players. Still, the initial comments from Gibbons sparked widespread backlash, with many pointing out that Minecraft itself stands as a powerful counterexample to the ESA’s claims.
(Source: IGN)
