Notch clarifies Minecraft EULA changes

Markus "Notch" Persson has tried to reason with Minecraft fans who have reacted badly to recent changes to the Mojang EULA that affect server monetisation and charging for gameplay features.

Essentially, charging for server access or in-game items that don't affect gameplay or using in-game advertising and sponsorship are all allowed under the terms of the new EULA, but those choosing to charge for server access must make clear who they are, and that they're not affiliated with Mojang.

Charging real cash for in-game currencies or items that can change the way the game is played are forbidden.

"A lot of people got the impression that we're changing the EULA somehow to only now disallow these things, but they were never allowed. A lot of people voiced their concerns. A few people got nasty. Someone said we're literally worse than EA," said Persson in a personal post explaining the situation.

"We had discussions about it internally, and eventually had a big meeting where we said that yes, people running servers are a huge part of what makes Minecraft so special, and that they need to be able to pay for the servers. So we came up with all sorts of ways this could be done without ruining the 'you don't pay for gameplay' aspect of Minecraft we all find so important."

"There are new rules. These are new exceptions to the EULA. All of these make the rules more liberal than things were before."

He also directed Minecraft players to a more detailed FAQ on the subject.