Overview
A Minecraft community member describes the formation and progress of a class action lawsuit against Mojang, alleging illegal contract changes, forced account migrations, and violations of consumer protection laws, especially involving children. The lawsuit is being supported with significant crowdfunding and professional legal representation.
Background and Lawsuit Motivation
- Minecraft allegedly broke consumer protection laws and exposed children to gambling through in-game mechanics.
- Mojang repeatedly changed terms of service without user notification or consent, violating EU consumer law.
- Community efforts to address these issues individually failed due to lack of accessible legal recourse.
Crowdfunding and Legal Representation
- A GoFundMe campaign quickly raised over $150,000 to support a class action lawsuit.
- Legal representation is secured with professionals experienced in consumer law and class actions.
- The main legal claim is against Mojang and Microsoft for practices deemed harmful to consumers, especially children.
Key Allegations Against Mojang/Microsoft
- Mojang falsely claimed that certain in-game content (such as guns) was contractually prohibited, but the prohibition was not in published agreements.
- Mojang maintains secret internal guidelines unavailable to users that can affect gameplay and access.
- Mojang partnered with external companies in apparent contradiction to their own stated rules (e.g., Nerf gun collaboration).
Forced Account Migration Issues
- Microsoft required all Minecraft accounts to migrate, threatening loss of paid access if users did not comply.
- The migration forced users to accept new terms retroactively, which is alleged to be a breach of contract.
- Many users lost access without proper notice, and support requests were regularly closed without resolution.
Legal Arguments and Consumer Impact
- Contract changes must be communicated, and users must freely consent for changes to be enforceable.
- Removing the clause allowing users continued access without accepting new terms is considered unlawful.
- The community's rights to modify and enjoy the game are being increasingly restricted without proper legal process.
Lawsuit Objectives
- Revert account migrations and reinstate unmigrated accounts.
- Ensure Mojang/EU retain customer data ownership and comply with privacy laws.
- Require Mojang to notify users of contract changes and get explicit consent without threats.
- Remove unenforceable and hidden clauses, including those enabling gambling.
- Clearly communicate all future contract or guideline changes.
Next Steps and Call for Participation
- Evidence and participant testimony are needed to build the class action group.
- Minecraft players are encouraged to share their experiences to strengthen the claim.
Decisions
- Proceed with a class action lawsuit against Mojang/Microsoft.
- Focus claim on forced account migration and associated damages.
Action Items
- TBD – Minecraft players: Submit accounts of how forced migration or contract changes affected you to participate in the lawsuit.
- TBD – Legal team: Formulate and file the lawsuit based on collected evidence and testimonies.