are private servers for mmo games legal?

hello, i was just wondering whether or not the private servers for the mmo games like WoW,linegage are legal or not

thanks for the info

Well Ncsoft supplied the Server client as well as many other developers.... You just can't make money from it.platinumxofhell

it is ilegal dammit.

It depends on the game, actually. Most companies do not allow private servers under any circumstances, and it's a violation of the EULA as well as copyright to put one up. Blizzard and Sony have both shut down any private servers they come across, do some Google searches, or news searches here on Gamespot, and you'll have no trouble finding references to that.

If a company releases the server code, and explicitly gives permission to run private servers (and by that, I mean the outright say to go ahead and do it, not that they hint around it), then you are in the clear, have fun. If they don't give that permission, it doesn't matter if you are charging money or not, you are definitely in the wrong in civil law (they can sue you) and may be in the wrong criminally (you can be arrested and fined/jailed). So, be very damned careful in this area, it can cost you if you are wrong.

hello, i was just wondering whether or not the private servers for the mmo games like WoW,linegage are legal or not

thanks for the info

gin_maiden

legal!!!!! end of story.

It depends on the game, actually. Most companies do not allow private servers under any circumstances, and it's a violation of the EULA as well as copyright to put one up. Blizzard and Sony have both shut down any private servers they come across, do some Google searches, or news searches here on Gamespot, and you'll have no trouble finding references to that.

If a company releases the server code, and explicitly gives permission to run private servers (and by that, I mean the outright say to go ahead and do it, not that they hint around it), then you are in the clear, have fun. If they don't give that permission, it doesn't matter if you are charging money or not, you are definitely in the wrong in civil law (they can sue you) and may be in the wrong criminally (you can be arrested and fined/jailed). So, be very damned careful in this area, it can cost you if you are wrong.

Royas

Aye. For example in Ultima Online private servers are legal as long as they are free.

[QUOTE="gin_maiden"]

hello, i was just wondering whether or not the private servers for the mmo games like WoW,linegage are legal or not

thanks for the info

PredatorRules

legal!!!!! end of story.

Simplistic and not entirely accurate. Sometimes legal, most often not. I'm not theorizing here, it's a fact of law. If it were legal, Blizzard would never have been able to shut down the alternate Battlenet project. Sony/Verant/whoever would not have been able to shut down unauthorized Everquest servers. It's like any other IP, you have to get permission, explicit permission, from the owner to use it outside of the scope of Fair Use. And that, unlike your little comment, really is the end of the story.

it is ilegal dammit.

AskanTale

[QUOTE="PredatorRules"][QUOTE="gin_maiden"]

hello, i was just wondering whether or not the private servers for the mmo games like WoW,linegage are legal or not

thanks for the info

Royas

legal!!!!! end of story.

Simplistic and not entirely accurate. Sometimes legal, most often not. I'm not theorizing here, it's a fact of law. If it were legal, Blizzard would never have been able to shut down the alternate Battlenet project. Sony/Verant/whoever would not have been able to shut down unauthorized Everquest servers. It's like any other IP, you have to get permission, explicit permission, from the owner to use it outside of the scope of Fair Use. And that, unlike your little comment, really is the end of the story.

if private servers wouldn't be allowed trust me - they'd been shut down long time ago

[QUOTE="Royas"][QUOTE="PredatorRules"][QUOTE="gin_maiden"]

hello, i was just wondering whether or not the private servers for the mmo games like WoW,linegage are legal or not

thanks for the info

PredatorRules

legal!!!!! end of story.

Simplistic and not entirely accurate. Sometimes legal, most often not. I'm not theorizing here, it's a fact of law. If it were legal, Blizzard would never have been able to shut down the alternate Battlenet project. Sony/Verant/whoever would not have been able to shut down unauthorized Everquest servers. It's like any other IP, you have to get permission, explicit permission, from the owner to use it outside of the scope of Fair Use. And that, unlike your little comment, really is the end of the story.

if private servers wouldn't be allowed trust me - they'd been shut down long time ago

And as they are found, they get shut down if the owners of the games want to, as I said before. Blizzard and Sony have both shut down private servers as they pop up. Hell, Blizzard shut down that whole private Battlenet project, and that isn't even a moneymaker for them, being that it's free. So, again I say, generally illegal.

oh.....guys

It's absolutely illegal lol

[QUOTE="Royas"][QUOTE="PredatorRules"][QUOTE="gin_maiden"]

hello, i was just wondering whether or not the private servers for the mmo games like WoW,linegage are legal or not

thanks for the info

PredatorRules

legal!!!!! end of story.

Simplistic and not entirely accurate. Sometimes legal, most often not. I'm not theorizing here, it's a fact of law. If it were legal, Blizzard would never have been able to shut down the alternate Battlenet project. Sony/Verant/whoever would not have been able to shut down unauthorized Everquest servers. It's like any other IP, you have to get permission, explicit permission, from the owner to use it outside of the scope of Fair Use. And that, unlike your little comment, really is the end of the story.

if private servers wouldn't be allowed trust me - they'd been shut down long time ago

Yes cause in every single case these companies can just snap their fingers and the FBI would be at the owner of the private server's house to arrest them and confiscate their server as evidence. Don't be so naive, in most cases these game companies can't do anything about these private servers. For example, all these Bittorrent and Rapidshare link websites that allow you to download games, apps, operating systems, or anything for free. There are so many that they just can't shut them all down at will, they do of course go after the big ones like Torrentspy and Isohunt. But still the U.S. government can't do anything about these websites because they aren't violating any laws in their countries.

Oh, and one last thing, just cause it's illegal doesn't mean you'll get caught.CrapmaPants

And this mentality could very well topple what we call civilization.........

No it is not illegal so long as: A) no code is copied from "official" servers B) the client software is legally purchased from users and not provided by other means C) there is no profits made from the operation.

The FBI has no jurisdiction on this if conditions are met as there is no statutory violation of federal law. Additionally, it has been ruled that the EULA is not enforceable as a contract as such have been peremptory violated by the companies themselves via their distribution sources. Therefor, private servers are in fact legal.

The question on servers being shut down is simply by the threat of legal action in civil court. There does not need to be fault in order to pursue a cause of action. As a result of this the companies with the money have more then enough to throw away some in order to pursue their agenda. Private servers, being voluntary and not for profit, do not have the financial backing to defend against this and as such close down.

why isnt this locked... my topic on the same topic got locked awile ago thats stupid...LouieV13

The mods hate you, on another note like previous people ahve said: it depends on the company and what sort of aggreement you agreed to when you installed the game, plus why would you want to play on a private server, can't be that much cheaper can it?

Lazy me once again, I didn't have the interest to read through all the posts.

Private server in most cases (this includes also UO even someone here posted otherwise) is that you are allowed to setup a private server, the EULA can't forbid that, but yopu are not allowed to let anyone else in them. In other words it is a private server for you and just for you, if it becomes something else, then it's illegal.

And i don't think it illegal to make an own server if u like use it to play with your closes 5 friends...Zarachas

Right, because 6 or more friends, and it's illegal... Makes a lot of sense...

Anyways, if Private servers ARE legal, why does anyone pay for Blizzard's WoW servers then? We can all just use private ones and save money? Doesn't make sense...

Quote from here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_Online_shard_emulation

"Operating or playing on an emulated server is in violation of the Ultima Onlineterms of service (see below), and as such, anybody caught doing so faces the possibility of his or her Electronic Arts account being suspended or permanently banned. However, due to ambiguity in the law relating to whether or not operating or playing on an emulated server is an actual crime, little has been attempted on behalf of Electronic Arts in response to players doing either activity[3]. The creators of other games, such as World of Warcraft, Diablo 2 (Battle.net) and EverQuest, on the other hand, have had some success in shutting down emulated servers and have been actively doing so[4][5]."

[QUOTE="LouieV13"]why isnt this locked... my topic on the same topic got locked awile ago thats stupid...Hondo189

The mods hate you, on another note like previous people ahve said: it depends on the company and what sort of aggreement you agreed to when you installed the game, plus why would you want to play on a private server, can't be that much cheaper can it?