The Entertainment Software Association is urging lawmakers to reject California legislation that would restrict how game publishers manage server infrastructure. Jennifer Gibbons, the group's vice president of state government affairs, testified that community-hosted servers for Minecraft operate illegally and lack the safety standards of official Microsoft services. This stance matters to players who rely on third-party servers for gameplay, as the association's position conflicts with Microsoft's own promotion of community-hosted environments. The legislative effort aimed to protect consumers from sudden service discontinuations, but the bill ultimately failed to advance.
ESA VP testifies against California gaming bill while calling third-party hosts piracy
The controversy centers on AB 1921, known as the Protect Our Games Act, which sought to prevent publishers from making server-dependent games unplayable without prior notice or refunds. Gibbons argued during the June 29 hearing that the proposed law would impose unique regulatory scrutiny on video games compared to other digital products. The Stop Killing Games initiative, which drafted the bill, plans to return with amendments after the State Senate did not pass the measure. The legislation was designed to address consumer concerns about the longevity of online gaming experiences.
Gibbons characterized community-hosted Minecraft servers as the black market of video games and explicitly stated that the association considers them piracy. She claimed these servers are illegal and have no affiliation with Microsoft or Mojang, the developers of Minecraft. The ESA used this characterization to argue against the need for specific consumer protections in the proposed bill. The association maintained that official Microsoft servers employ necessary safety standards that community servers do not.
Minecraft's official website actively promotes community servers and provides the necessary server software, which directly contradicts the ESA's assertion that these services are unaffiliated with the company. Mojang and Microsoft have not officially responded to the claims made by the ESA during the hearing. PCGamesN reached out to Mojang for comment on the matter but had not received a response at the time of reporting. The disconnect between the ESA's testimony and Microsoft's public support for community hosting remains unresolved.
Source: PCGAMESN
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