Server Operator Terms of Service

[Rogean]

Hey everyone,

The past few months have been eventful for emulator communities everywhere. Many of you are likely aware of the recent litigation involving the EverQuest Emulator server The Hero’s Journey, which resulted in a preliminary injunction ordering its closure. At the same time, a private World of Warcraft server community also became involved in legal proceedings and referenced the EverQuest Emulator community in its defense.

We’ve been fortunate that EverQuest is owned by a company that has allowed this community to exist and thrive, giving countless people the chance to express their creativity in amazing ways. Historically, most servers have operated under a loose set of unwritten guidelines, based largely on common sense and a shared understanding of what is and isn’t acceptable.

Unfortunately, some projects have chosen to push beyond those boundaries, drawing increased attention to emulator communities as a whole. This has made it more important than ever for companies to take a clear stance regarding the use of their intellectual property.

Most companies respond to situations like this by completely banning or shutting down emulation and modding efforts. Thankfully, Daybreak has taken a different approach. They’ve been open to working with us to establish an official framework that allows this community to continue existing responsibly and respectfully.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve had extensive discussions with Daybreak about a new Server Operator Terms of Service for the EverQuest Emulator community. They have worked with me in good faith, showing flexibility on several points while remaining firm on others.

I expect that some server operators may have concerns or questions about certain sections of the new terms. Please don’t assume that this marks the end of any given server. I strongly encourage any server operator to reach out to me directly on Discord so we can go over any issues together. I’ll do everything I can to ensure each server has an opportunity to be heard and to work through any potential problems with the proper channels.

The new Server Operator Terms of Service can be found Here.

Thank you