Minecraft post-purchase ownership rights changes: Difference between revisions
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}}[[wikipedia:Minecraft#:~:text=The%20first%20public%20alpha%20build|Minecraft Alpha]] was published and sold by a small developer, advocating for consumer ownership, promising [[Digital rights management|Digital Rights Management (DRM)]]-free software<ref name=":2">,{{Cite web |date=2011-09-23 |title=Minecraft - About the game |url=http://www.minecraft.net/store/game |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923112156/http://www.minecraft.net/store/game |archive-date=2011-09-23 |website=www.minecraft.net}}</ref> free optional updates, and a free copy of the fully released version for every earlier buyer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2011-09-23 |title=Minecraft Terms of Use |url=http://www.minecraft.net/terms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923135753/http://www.minecraft.net/terms |archive-date=2011-09-23 |website=www.minecraft.net}}</ref> | }}[[wikipedia:Minecraft#:~:text=The%20first%20public%20alpha%20build|Minecraft Alpha]] was published and sold by a small developer, advocating for consumer ownership, promising [[Digital rights management|Digital Rights Management (DRM)]]-free software<ref name=":2">,{{Cite web |date=2011-09-23 |title=Minecraft - About the game |url=http://www.minecraft.net/store/game |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923112156/http://www.minecraft.net/store/game |archive-date=2011-09-23 |website=www.minecraft.net}}</ref> free optional updates, and a free copy of the fully released version for every earlier buyer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2011-09-23 |title=Minecraft Terms of Use |url=http://www.minecraft.net/terms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923135753/http://www.minecraft.net/terms |archive-date=2011-09-23 |website=www.minecraft.net}}</ref> | ||
After years of changes in the title and content of the terms of use, all the previous buyers who failed to stop accepting updates in time, had to choose between forfeiting the ownership or losing the option to use the software offline.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-18 |title=Minecraft account migration |url=https://consumerrights.wiki/Minecraft_account_migration |url-status=live |access-date= |website=Consumer Rights Wiki}}</ref> The product became a license with DRM that can be terminated at anytime by [[Microsoft]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2024-09-30 |title=Microsoft Services Agreement |url=https://www.microsoft.com/servicesagreement |url-status= |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=microsoft.com}}</ref> | After years of changes in the title and content of the terms of use, all the previous buyers who failed to stop accepting updates in time, had to choose between forfeiting the ownership or losing the option to use the software offline.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-18 |title=Minecraft account migration |url=https://consumerrights.wiki/Minecraft_account_migration |url-status=live |access-date= |website=Consumer Rights Wiki |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250910073703/https://consumerrights.wiki/Minecraft_account_migration |archive-date=10 Sep 2025}}</ref> The product became a license with DRM that can be terminated at anytime by [[Microsoft]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2024-09-30 |title=Microsoft Services Agreement |url=https://www.microsoft.com/servicesagreement |url-status= |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=microsoft.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241226103701/https://www.microsoft.com/servicesagreement |archive-date=26 Dec 2024}}</ref> | ||
The user side of legal contract to use Minecraft at the 2011 full release is called ''“Terms of use” (TOU)'',<ref name=":0" /> later ''“End-user license agreement” (EULA)'',<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-18 |title=Minecraft EULA |url=https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/eula |url-status=live |website=minecraft.net}}</ref> and the changes it went through since 2011, can imply most of the existing [[:Category:Anti-Consumer Practices|anti-consumer practices]], not just consumer ownership rights erosion. | The user side of legal contract to use Minecraft at the 2011 full release is called ''“Terms of use” (TOU)'',<ref name=":0" /> later ''“End-user license agreement” (EULA)'',<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-18 |title=Minecraft EULA |url=https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/eula |url-status=live |website=minecraft.net |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260223043059/https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/eula |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> and the changes it went through since 2011, can imply most of the existing [[:Category:Anti-Consumer Practices|anti-consumer practices]], not just consumer ownership rights erosion. | ||
Note: this article focuses on the original Minecraft (Java Edition). | Note: this article focuses on the original Minecraft (Java Edition). | ||
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<blockquote>In 2014, Mojang and the Minecraft intellectual property were purchased by Microsoft for US$2.5 billion. | <blockquote>In 2014, Mojang and the Minecraft intellectual property were purchased by Microsoft for US$2.5 billion. | ||
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 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221154727/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minecraft |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref></blockquote> | ||
===Source | ===Source obscurity:=== | ||
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. | 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. | ||
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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> | 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 |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=rUFDRAEducI |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> | ||
Microsoft Services Agreement also included in minecrafts’ EULA:<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=2019-07-16 |title=Minecraft Community Standards |url=https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/community-standards |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716182927/https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/community-standards |archive-date=2019-07-16 |website=minecraft.net}}</ref> | Microsoft Services Agreement also included in minecrafts’ EULA:<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=2019-07-16 |title=Minecraft Community Standards |url=https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/community-standards |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716182927/https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/community-standards |archive-date=2019-07-16 |website=minecraft.net}}</ref> | ||
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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 --> | 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 Minecraft 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 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260219050951/https://minecraft.wiki/w/Java_Edition_version_history/Development_versions |archive-date=19 Feb 2026}}</ref> Date specific 'Terms' and 'Number of Java copies sold' from archived Minecraft websites | ||
!Date of change | !Date of change | ||
!Copies sold | !Copies sold | ||
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==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 enforcing undisclosed server EULA terms|Hidden rules regarding private servers]] - [[ | *[[Minecraft enforcing undisclosed server EULA terms|Hidden rules regarding private servers]] - [[Mojang shuts down community-run Minecraft servers]]<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 |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=C5RvoPQZQeM |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</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]] | ||
*[[Post-purchase EULA modification|Post-purchase retroactive EULA | *[[Post-purchase EULA modification|Post-purchase retroactive EULA modification]] | ||
*[[:Category:Feature Ransom|Feature ransom]] | *[[:Category:Feature Ransom|Feature ransom]] | ||
*[[Forced arbitration]] | *[[Forced arbitration]] | ||