{"id":11206,"date":"2026-06-30T19:32:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T16:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/?p=11206"},"modified":"2026-07-01T01:25:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T21:55:14","slug":"esa-claims-private-minecraft-servers-are-illegal-and-piracy-in-stop-killing-games-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/2026\/06\/30\/esa-claims-private-minecraft-servers-are-illegal-and-piracy-in-stop-killing-games-hearing\/","title":{"rendered":"ESA Claims Private Minecraft Servers Are &#8216;Illegal&#8217; and &#8216;Piracy&#8217; in Stop Killing Games Hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The ESA has made the head-scratching claim that private Minecraft servers are &#8220;illegal,&#8221; arguing that they&#8217;re considered a form of &#8220;piracy&#8221; in a recent hearing.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">During a California State Senate hearing over the Protect Our Games Act (a Stop Killing Games bill that would force game publishers to ensure games remain playable if servers are shut down), Assemblyman Chris Ward was questioned by the committee about how feasible it would be to keep games running on private servers if official support concluded. Ward noted that both Minecraft and Call of Duty utilize community servers, meaning it&#8217;s a solution that already exists in some cases. <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">However, ESA\u2019s VP of State Government Affairs, Jennifer Gibbons, objected to his claim and stated that these are not officially sanctioned servers. In fact, according to Gibbons, they&#8217;re illegal.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cThey\u2019re illegal,\u201d Gibbons responded. \u201cThey are not in any way affiliated with Microsoft. Microsoft, for Minecraft, has gotten a lot of criticism because of those community servers not employing the same safety standards that Microsoft does on their Minecraft servers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Gibbons was asked by a committee member if private servers are akin to a &#8220;black market&#8221; for video games, and Gibbons answered yes. The ESA executive went on to state that they even consider these servers as &#8220;piracy&#8221; and have lawsuits pending against private servers right now.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cYes,&#8221; said Gibbons. &#8220;In fact, we consider it piracy. We have lawsuits, two pending lawsuits, against private servers right now, and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in their Notorious Markets Reports on counterfeiting and piracy has named some of these big private servers as a notorious market.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">Minecraft Chaos Cubed Screenshots &#8211; Minecraft Live March 2026<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Image courtesy of Mojang Studios.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/esa-claims-private-minecraft-servers-are-illegal-and-piracy-in-stop-killing-games-hearing.gif\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">To be clear, in the case of Minecraft, this isn&#8217;t true. Minecraft has multiple pages on its website where it encourages players to set up their own servers or browse third party servers. These servers are also verified and approved by Minecraft&#8217;s team to ensure they follow standards and guidelines.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;Each server offers its own brand of fun and uniqueness,&#8221; reads an excerpt about community servers on Minecraft&#8217;s website. &#8220;Find your favorite with our Server List Site, where all listed servers have been reviewed and verified as following our community standards and guidelines.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">IGN sent the ESA a link to this page and noted that it was encouraged by the Minecraft team when requesting a comment. An ESA representative responded with the following:<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;Private servers infringe on the intellectual property (IP) rights of game publishers. Publishers reserve the right to exercise their rights against them. The provision in CA AB 1921 that proposed these servers as a legitimate alternative to keep games running raises concerns about a publisher&#8217;s ability to enforce their IP rights. In addition, private servers operate with no oversight from the publisher and do not uphold the same trust and safety standards. This could create an unsafe environment for players and be counter to the industry&#8217;s commitment to fostering safe and fun game play for all players.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">PC Gamer also noted that the UTSR&#8217;s Notorious Market Report referenced by Gibbons doesn&#8217;t specifically single out random community servers so players can play with friends, but rather ones that allow users to bypass games that require subscription services, such as World of Warcraft. Those servers allow players to get around a key piece of the game, rather than serving as an extension of the exisiting experience.<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">The 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\">&lt;img alt=&quot;What is an Xbox? Microsoft has spent 25 years trying to answer the question, but for fans, the answer is easy: \u201cXbox\u201d evokes one-eared headsets wired into the memory card slots of massive controllers with breakaway cords. A dashboard with gleaming skeuomorphic blades and avatars adorned in earned accessories. That sound that plays when a hard-earned Achievement finally pops. \u201cXbox\u201d means heavy-duty hardware. Tactile sensations. Friends connecting for the first time. And that\u2019s before we even get to the games.<\/p>\n<p>It may be that the very idea of an Xbox game is coming to an end. Microsoft has undeniably shifted its tactics, with a new focus on multi-platform releases, handheld Xboxes that are actually miniature Windows computers, and the potential that future Xbox consoles may simply be gaming PCs. So now seems as good a time as any to look back at the entire history of Microsoft\u2019s console journey and rank the best Xbox games, with help from our friends at Outside Xbox, the multimillion-subscriber channel that serves up weekly videos about video games and video game-adjacent things<\/p>\n<p>When we say \u201cthe best Xbox games,\u201d we mean the ones that most evoke that weighty sense of \u201cXboxness.\u201d Some are first-party, most are exclusives, and all of them are indelibly tied to the legacy of and fondness for a platform that\u2019s left a massive mark on gaming. These are the 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time. We&#8217;ll be updating this list daily with 25 games at 7am PST\/10am ET\/3pm GMT from Tuesday, 20th January to Friday, 23rd January, until number one is revealed.<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; decoding=&#8221;async&#8221; class=&#8221;progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity&#8221; loading=&#8221;lazy&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/esa-claims-private-minecraft-servers-are-illegal-and-piracy-in-stop-killing-games-hearing.gif&#8221; data-cy=&#8221;progressive-image&#8221;&gt;<span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Ultimately, the Protect Our Games Act did not receive the necessary amount of votes to move forward, but it was granted a reconsideration, so it still has another chance to make its case. A Stop Killing Games campaign volunteer took to Reddit to address the situation, noting that &#8220;every one of these claims was designed to scare a busy legislator who does not have time to fact-check a well-dressed lobbyist in real time.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;It worked just well enough this round,&#8221; they continued. &#8220;It will not work when we are standing in the same room, with developers and players beside us, ready to answer every single claim as it happens. Here is what happens next. We are not stopping. Not even close. Next session, we come back with an in-person lobbying presence, the funding to do this properly, and a long list of organizations and developers signed on in support.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><strong>UPDATE: <\/strong>An ESA representative issued a new, updated version of their previous statement:<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;Private servers that host or distribute copyrighted game content without authorization infringe on the intellectual property (IP) rights of game publishers. While publishers may take different approaches, all publishers reserve the right to exercise their rights against IP infringement. The provision in CA AB 1921 that proposed these servers as a legitimate alternative to keep games running raises concerns about a publisher&#8217;s ability to enforce their IP rights. In addition, private servers operate with no oversight from the publisher and do not uphold the same trust and safety standards. This could create an unsafe environment for players and be counter to the industry&#8217;s commitment to fostering safe and fun game play for all players.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN&#8217;s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/esa-claims-private-minecraft-servers-are-illegal-and-piracy-in-stop-killing-games-hearing.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/esa-claims-private-minecraft-servers-are-illegal-and-piracy-in-stop-killing-games-hearing.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/esa-claims-private-minecraft-servers-are-illegal-and-piracy-in-stop-killing-games-hearing.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/esa-claims-private-minecraft-servers-are-illegal-and-piracy-in-stop-killing-games-hearing.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11207,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-11206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-49","tag-50"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11206"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11208,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11206\/revisions\/11208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}