In an open letter, the team behind the sued fan server has asked Blizzard to consider creating a legal framework for community-run servers — with a touch of unique “flavor.”

Like many fan-made MMO projects, Turtle WoW — an enhanced version of World of Warcraft Classic featuring new zones and character customization options — took years of dedicated modding work to build. But the project became so successful that it eventually caught the attention of its original developer, Blizzard. The company filed a copyright lawsuit against the project last month. On October 17, the Turtle WoW team published an open letter to Blizzard, asking for a formal licensing framework for fan mods and private servers. Below is an excerpt from that letter:

“Many successful games have thriving modding communities. This is part of gaming culture — a testament to both the quality of the game and the passion of its community. The World of Warcraft modding community is flourishing, and as more tools become available, it will only continue to grow. Your storytelling has inspired this creativity, and we hope that Blizzard will embrace fan-driven content as part of its own legacy, rather than alienate this passionate community. Unfortunately, unlike other studios, Blizzard has not yet established a framework that allows projects like ours to operate without risking legal conflict. With that in mind, we respectfully ask that Blizzard consider creating an official ecosystem for licensing fan-operated community servers.”

“On behalf of our community, we would like to express our deep gratitude if you would consider collaborating with fan groups like ours to create a clear and lawful path toward building upon the legacy of the World of Warcraft universe — with your blessing. By establishing an ecosystem that allows modders to operate their own community servers under license, Blizzard could continue to oversee and regulate the process while also encouraging fan-driven innovation. This approach would not only enhance the gameplay experience but also strengthen the bonds between developers and players, ensuring that World of Warcraft remains a true home for everyone who loves it.” the team wrote.

The letter goes on to cite other major games with massive modding scenes, such as Team Fortress 2, Fortnite, and Minecraft, as well as fan-run MMO servers that have been granted official approval, including EverQuest Project 1999 and City of Heroes Homecoming. The World of Warcraft development team, meanwhile, has recently been phasing out several community-created add-ons, replacing them with official systems that replicate their functionality. Attempts to circumvent these changes have not been tolerated. It’s worth noting that while add-ons were officially supported until recently, private servers have always been in violation of Blizzard’s terms of service.

This episode is another indication that Blizzard appears to be moving toward tighter control of its ecosystem — encouraging less tinkering from players and more reliance on official, Blizzard-sanctioned systems.

Source: PCGamer, Turtle WoW