Notes on Cosmic PvP and Cosmic Sky Server Issues

Overview of Cosmic PvP

• One of the most successful Minecraft servers.
• Owned by YouTubers Preston Plays and Mr. Wolfles.
• Made approximately $25 million in revenue over a decade.
• Recently reopened with significant issues.

Server History

• Initially popular, but faced decline two years ago.
• Shut down all game modes in late 2023.
• Relaunched Cosmic Sky in July 2022, attracting over 1,000 players daily.

Current Issues

ULA Violations and Monetization Schemes

• Violations of Minecraft's usage guidelines.
• Features underage gambling and a black market for items sold for real money.
• Players required to spend up to $200 for a chance to buy new ranks.

Non-compliance with Mojang

• The server's IP cosmicsky.net was established after being blocked by Mojang.
• Use of a third-party client to bypass the blacklist.
• Failure to comply with Mojang's enforcement requests.

Harmful Monetization Mechanics

Unbanning Process

• Sale of unbans is disguised as gameplay.
• Players banned must mine 10 million coal to escape a prison world.
• Option to buy coal for real money effectively allows players to buy unbans.

Cosmo Slot Bot

• Functions as a slot machine, violating ULA due to gambling terminology.
• Players buy tickets using cosmic coins, with potential rewards but no listed odds.
• Rewards contain randomized item pools, creating multiple layers of non-compliance.

Loot Boxes

• Available for $15, contain random rewards with no odds listed.
• Similar issues to slot bots with rewards having their own non-listed odds.

Flash Sales for Ranks

• Limited availability for the celestial rank creates artificial scarcity.
• Players must spend $200 in advance to participate in flash sales.
• High demand leads to instant sellouts, leaving many players unable to purchase.

IRL Trading Culture

• Players sell in-game items and currencies for real money, creating a gray area.
• Server allows advertising of IRL trades, despite having rules against it.
• IRL trading can lead to gambling-like situations due to in-game currencies having real-world value.

Conclusion

• Cosmic Sky is characterized by harmful monetization strategies, enabling underage and unregulated gambling.
• The server has been blacklisted by Mojang multiple times, showing no intent to comply with guidelines.
• Current practices may represent the most harmful monetization in Minecraft's server history.