Minecraft post-purchase ownership rights changes: Difference between revisions
Reasoning for TOU/EULA modification practices |
Markus Persson statement |
||
| (10 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
Minecraft as a multi-platform game is the best-selling video game of all time, with over 350 million copies sold (as of 2025) and 140 million monthly active players (as of 2021)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-18 |title=Wikipedia - Minecraft |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minecraft |url-status=live |website=Wikipedia}}</ref></blockquote> | Minecraft as a multi-platform game is the best-selling video game of all time, with over 350 million copies sold (as of 2025) and 140 million monthly active players (as of 2021)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-18 |title=Wikipedia - Minecraft |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minecraft |url-status=live |website=Wikipedia}}</ref></blockquote> | ||
===Source | ===Source obsurity:=== | ||
Minecraft has many versions, editions, websites, shops, on multiple platforms, had two account migrations with corresponding terms. All changing throughout the years, as in content, in place of publication, and in the usage of dating or version history. | |||
The scope of the lack of sources is visualised in community notes on '[[:File:NOTES Full timeline of historical changes @MCCE.pdf|Terms versions]]' and '[[:File:NOTES List of Minecraft's Legal Contract(s) Changes @MCCE.pdf|Changes history]]' used in a video about a class action lawsuit<ref name=":12" />. | |||
*Minecraft’s TOU/EULA was published as a page on the publisher’s game store site and as a text file in the game directory. | *Minecraft’s TOU/EULA was published as a page on the publisher’s game store site and as a text file in the game directory. | ||
*Earlier verifiable versions of the TOU/ EULA are only available on archived versions of Minecraft’s website, but there were times when multiple TOU/EULA versions were available simultaneously. Exact dates of changes may vary, and the sources should respectively be the earliest or the latest found versions. These changes were mainly announced to the customer upon downloading and installing an update. | *Earlier verifiable versions of the TOU/ EULA are only available on archived versions of Minecraft’s website, but there were times when multiple TOU/EULA versions were available simultaneously. Exact dates of changes may vary, and the sources should respectively be the earliest or the latest found versions. These changes were mainly announced to the customer upon downloading and installing an update. | ||
*The .txt file changes containing the TOU/EULA, that were downloaded and agreed to by the users with software updates, mostly exist in non-verifiable user directories. | *The .txt file changes containing the TOU/EULA, that were downloaded and agreed to by the users with software updates, mostly exist in non-verifiable user directories. | ||
===2009-2011 Ownership in Minecraft Alpha and Beta=== | ===2009-2011 Ownership in Minecraft Alpha and Beta=== | ||
The first public version was Java Edition Classic 0.0.11a, an unfinished single player offline usable game, with early codes for multiplayer, and with a separate launcher that was capable of updating the game and the launcher itself. | The first public version was Java Edition Classic 0.0.11a, an unfinished single player offline usable game, with early codes for multiplayer, and with a separate launcher that was capable of updating the game and the launcher itself. | ||
While under development and before the creation of the TOU, mojang had published its | While under development and before the creation of the TOU, mojang had published its predecessors to its later terms of use in 'support.jsp' in the form of 'Frequently Asked Questions'<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=support.jsp |url=http://www.minecraft.net/support.js |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725180118/http://www.minecraft.net/support.jsp |archive-date=2010-07-25 |website=minecraft.net}}</ref>, later in copyright.jsp. as 'Copyright information'.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2010-12-20 |title=copyright.jsp |url=http://www.minecraft.net/copyright.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101221093644/http://www.minecraft.net:80/copyright.jsp |archive-date=2010-12-21 |website=minecraft.net}}</ref> | ||
== | ==Customer ownership terms in Minecraft 1.0== | ||
2011-09-23 Ownership terms in full release of Minecraft 1.0.0 | |||
=== | ===Product page information=== | ||
2011-09-13 - 2012-08-18:<ref name=":2" /><blockquote>Purchase Minecraft | |||
<blockquote>Purchase Minecraft | |||
(...) | (...) | ||
| Line 54: | Line 54: | ||
Once you've bought the game, it's yours. No DRM.</blockquote> | Once you've bought the game, it's yours. No DRM.</blockquote> | ||
====TOU for Minecraft 1.0.0<ref name=":0" /> | ===First Terms=== | ||
TOU for Minecraft 1.0.0<ref name=":0" /> | |||
The game is in development, but the developer promises free copy of the full game - only before 2013-12<blockquote>What You Get For Purchasing When you purchase Minecraft you do so as is, be it in the early stages of development or already fully released. Subsequent updates are only an added bonus and not a guarantee, as icing on a cake. Purchases during the development of the game are discounted and include the full game upon release.</blockquote>The buyer of the software can use the software<blockquote>USING OUR GAME | The game is in development, but the developer promises free copy of the full game - only before 2013-12<blockquote>What You Get For Purchasing When you purchase Minecraft you do so as is, be it in the early stages of development or already fully released. Subsequent updates are only an added bonus and not a guarantee, as icing on a cake. Purchases during the development of the game are discounted and include the full game upon release.</blockquote>The buyer of the software can use the software<blockquote>USING OUR GAME | ||
| Line 60: | Line 62: | ||
You have bought the game so you can use it, yourself, on your computer.</blockquote>Publisher can change the TOU | You have bought the game so you can use it, yourself, on your computer.</blockquote>Publisher can change the TOU | ||
<blockquote>We reserve the right to change this agreement at any time with or without notice, with immediate and/or retroactive effect. </blockquote> | <blockquote>We reserve the right to change this agreement at any time with or without notice, with immediate and/or retroactive effect. </blockquote>2012-01-12 Statement by Markus Persson aka Notch, founder of Mojang:<blockquote>Just pirate it. If you still like it when you can afford it in the future, buy it then. Also don't forget to feel bad. ;) <ref>{{Cite web |title=twitter.com/notch/status |url=https://x.com/notch/status/157261795139125248 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025133021/https://twitter.com/notch/status/157261795139125248 |archive-date=2013-10-25 |website=twitter.com}}</ref></blockquote> | ||
==Customer ownership changes before Microsoft== | |||
2011-2014 Customer Ownership changes before Microsoft acquired Mojang Studios. | |||
=== | ===Account.mojang.com migration=== | ||
====2012-10-11 The new account.mojang.com site arrives with a set of its own terms<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-06-29 |title=Mojang Terms and Conditions |url=https://account.mojang.com/terms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011213958/https://account.mojang.com/terms |archive-date=2012-10-11 |website=account.mojang.com}}</ref | ====Start of migration==== | ||
2012-10-11 The new account.mojang.com site arrives with a set of its own terms, named EULA<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-06-29 |title=Mojang Terms and Conditions |url=https://account.mojang.com/terms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011213958/https://account.mojang.com/terms |archive-date=2012-10-11 |website=account.mojang.com}}</ref> | |||
These contain parts of the older TOU, but new parts worded for the new accounts and the new website appear. The minectaft.net/terms page with the TOU is also available from the store page until 2013-12-04.<ref name=":8" /><blockquote>These terms and conditions incorporates the terms of use for the mojang.com webite, our end user license agreement, our brand and asset usage guidelines, and our privacy policy.</blockquote> | |||
==== | ====End of migration==== | ||
< | 2013-12-12 The TOU fully merges into the EULA of account.mojang.com with the end of minecraft.net/terms<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=2013-12-04 |title=Minecraft Terms of Use |url=https://minecraft.net/terms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204204127/https://minecraft.net/terms |archive-date=2013-12-04 |website=minecraft.net}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=2013-01-13 |title=Mojang Terms and Conditions |url=https://account.mojang.com/terms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827123036/https://account.mojang.com/terms#eula |archive-date=2013-08-27 |website=account.mojang.com}}</ref> | ||
Publisher can revoke permission to use the software<blockquote>The permission we give you to use and play our Game can be revoked if you break the terms of this EULA. </blockquote>Publisher is the owner of the software<blockquote>OWNERSHIP OF OUR GAME AND OTHER THINGS | |||
Although we give you permission to play our Game, we are still the owners of it. We are also the owners of our brands and any content contained in the Game. Therefore, when you pay for our Game, you are buying a permission to play / use our Game in accordance with this EULA - you are not buying the Game itself. The only permissions you have in connection with the Game are the permissions set out in this EULA.</blockquote>The users can avoid accepting Eula changes by not accepting software updates<blockquote>We may also change this EULA from time to time but those changes will only be effective to the extent that they can legally apply. For example if you only use the Game in single player mode and don‘t use the updates we make available then the old EULA applies but if you do use the updates or use parts of the game that rely on our providing ongoing online services then the new EULA will apply. In that case we may not be able to / don‘t need to tell you about the changes for them to have effect so you should check back here from time to time so you are aware of any changes to the EULA. We‘re not going to be unfair about this though - but sometimes the law changes or someone does something that affects other users of the Game and we therefore need to put a lid on it. </blockquote> | |||
<blockquote>We may also change this EULA from time to time but those changes will only be effective to the extent that they can legally apply. For example if you only use the Game in single player mode and don‘t use the updates we make available then the old EULA applies but if you do use the updates or use parts of the game that rely on our providing ongoing online services then the new EULA will apply. In that case we may not be able to / don‘t need to tell you about the changes for them to have effect so you should check back here from time to time so you are aware of any changes to the EULA. We‘re not going to be unfair about this though - but sometimes the law changes or someone does something that affects other users of the Game and we therefore need to put a lid on it. </blockquote> | |||
===2014- | ==Customer ownership changes after Microsoft== | ||
2014-2025 Customer Ownership changes after Microsoft acquired Mojang Studios. 2014-09<ref name=":9" /> | |||
====2015-10-27 The subject of the transaction changes from "bought the game" to "have been granted a license to | ===Product becomes a license=== | ||
<blockquote>USING OUR GAME | 2015-10-27 The subject of the transaction changes from "bought the game" to "have been granted a license to the Game"<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |date=2015-10-27 |title=account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula |url=https://account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027155030/https://account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula |archive-date=2015-10-27 |website=account.mojang.com}}</ref><blockquote>USING OUR GAME | ||
| Line 87: | Line 91: | ||
You have been granted a license to the Game so you can play and use it, yourself, on your devices.</blockquote> | You have been granted a license to the Game so you can play and use it, yourself, on your devices.</blockquote> | ||
====2020-10 - 2022-08 Mandatory [[Minecraft account migration|account migration]] from Mojang account to Microsoft account with new EULA<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-15 |title=account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula |url=https://account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715120420/https://account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula |archive-date=2019-07-15 |website=account.mojang.com}}</ref> | ===Microsoft account migration=== | ||
2020-10 - 2022-08 Mandatory [[Minecraft account migration|account migration]] from Mojang account to Microsoft account with new EULA<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-15 |title=account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula |url=https://account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715120420/https://account.mojang.com/documents/minecraft_eula |archive-date=2019-07-15 |website=account.mojang.com}}</ref> | |||
Buyers who failed to migrate, but kept their launcher up to date, lost their access to the software.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-08 |title=I DIDN’T Migrate my Minecraft Account - Here’s What Happened |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUFDRAEducI |url-status=live |website=youtube.com}}</ref> | Buyers who failed to migrate, but kept their launcher up to date, lost their access to the software.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-08 |title=I DIDN’T Migrate my Minecraft Account - Here’s What Happened |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUFDRAEducI |url-status=live |website=youtube.com}}</ref> | ||
| Line 94: | Line 100: | ||
<blockquote>b. The software is licensed, not sold, and Microsoft reserves all rights to the software not expressly granted by Microsoft, whether by implication, estoppel, or otherwise.</blockquote><blockquote>The application is licensed, not sold. This agreement only gives you some rights to use the application. If Microsoft disables the ability to use the applications on your devices pursuant to your agreement with Microsoft, any associated license rights will terminate.</blockquote> | <blockquote>b. The software is licensed, not sold, and Microsoft reserves all rights to the software not expressly granted by Microsoft, whether by implication, estoppel, or otherwise.</blockquote><blockquote>The application is licensed, not sold. This agreement only gives you some rights to use the application. If Microsoft disables the ability to use the applications on your devices pursuant to your agreement with Microsoft, any associated license rights will terminate.</blockquote> | ||
====2023-08-02 Removed the information about the option of users avoiding EULA changes by not accepting updates<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-02 |title=minecraft.net/en-us/eula |url=https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/eula |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802210823/https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/eula |archive-date=2023-08-02 |website=minecraft.net}}</ref> | ===Removed EULA-change avoidance=== | ||
<blockquote>We may change this EULA from time to time, if we have reason to, such as changes to our games, our practices, or our legal obligation. But those changes will be effective only to the extent that they can legally apply. In that case we'll inform you of the change before it takes effect, either by posting a notice on our website or by other reasonable means. We're not going to be unfair about this though - but sometimes the law changes or someone does something that affects other users of the game and we therefore need to put a lid on it.</blockquote> | 2023-08-02 Removed the information about the option of users avoiding EULA changes by not accepting updates<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-02 |title=minecraft.net/en-us/eula |url=https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/eula |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802210823/https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/eula |archive-date=2023-08-02 |website=minecraft.net}}</ref><blockquote>We may change this EULA from time to time, if we have reason to, such as changes to our games, our practices, or our legal obligation. But those changes will be effective only to the extent that they can legally apply. In that case we'll inform you of the change before it takes effect, either by posting a notice on our website or by other reasonable means. We're not going to be unfair about this though - but sometimes the law changes or someone does something that affects other users of the game and we therefore need to put a lid on it.</blockquote> | ||
==Numbers of affected users== | ==Numbers of affected users== | ||
Estimated minimum number of Minecraft Java edition copies sold before ownership changes in the TOU/EULA<!-- ver. version history / launcher history unfound. proof for date of DRM inclusion missing --> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|+Version history from minecraft.wiki.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-19 |title=minecraft.wiki Java Edition version history |url=https://minecraft.wiki/w/Java_Edition_version_history/Development_versions |url-status=live |website=minecraft.wiki}}</ref> Date specific 'Terms' and 'Number of Java copies sold' from archived Mincrafts websites | |+Version history from minecraft.wiki.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-19 |title=minecraft.wiki Java Edition version history |url=https://minecraft.wiki/w/Java_Edition_version_history/Development_versions |url-status=live |website=minecraft.wiki}}</ref> Date specific 'Terms' and 'Number of Java copies sold' from archived Mincrafts websites | ||
| Line 166: | Line 171: | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
*Block of access by mandatory account migration - [[Minecraft account migration]] | *Block of access by mandatory account migration - [[Minecraft account migration]] | ||
*[[Minecraft enforceing undisclosed server EULA terms|Hidden rules regarding private servers]] - [[Shutting down of community-run Minecraft servers by Mojang]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-03 |title=Suing Minecraft Because They Broke The Law & Pissed Me Off |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5RvoPQZQeM |url-status=live |website=youtube.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-16 |title=We’re Suing Minecraft in a Class Action Lawsuit |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_UF_4gZclI |url-status=live |website=youtube.com}}</ref> | *[[Minecraft enforceing undisclosed server EULA terms|Hidden rules regarding private servers]] - [[Shutting down of community-run Minecraft servers by Mojang]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-03 |title=Suing Minecraft Because They Broke The Law & Pissed Me Off |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5RvoPQZQeM |url-status=live |website=youtube.com}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-16 |title=We’re Suing Minecraft in a Class Action Lawsuit |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_UF_4gZclI |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819223737/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_UF_4gZclI |archive-date=2025-08-19 |website=youtube.com}}</ref> | ||
*Chat moderation enforcement on private servers and single player mode resulting in unexpected loss of license | *Chat moderation enforcement on private servers and single player mode resulting in unexpected loss of license | ||
*DRM spiked launcher updates - [[Minecraft Beta pre-1.8's lack of authentication]] | *DRM spiked launcher updates - [[Minecraft Beta pre-1.8's lack of authentication]] | ||
| Line 179: | Line 184: | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Microsoft]] | [[Category:Microsoft]] | ||
[[Category:Minecraft]] | [[Category:Minecraft]] | ||
[[Category:Mojang]] | [[Category:Mojang]] | ||
[[Category:End-user license agreements]] | |||