Cosmic PvP Server Issues and Exploitations

May 11, 2025

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. Waffles.
  • Generated approximately $25 million in revenue over a decade.
  • Previous concerns over illegal gambling monetization schemes.

Recent Developments

  • Server reopened in late 2023, gaining over 1,000 daily players.
  • Features illegal gambling for minors and a black market for item sales.
  • Players can spend up to $200 for a chance to buy new ranks.

Server History

  • Original shutdown due to popularity decline; all modes (factions, Prison, Sky Block) ceased operation.
  • Cosmic Sky relaunched in July of last year.

Non-Compliance with Minecraft Guidelines

Blacklist Issues

  • Server's IP (cosmic sky.com) was blocked by Mojang in January 2021 due to violations.
  • Players use a third-party client (Cosmic Client) to bypass the blacklist.

ULA Violations

  1. Sale of Unbans

    • Players previously paid $20-$50 to buy unbans.
    • Currently, players are sent to a prison world to do an impossible task to escape.
    • Players can buy coal to escape, effectively paying for an unban.
  2. Cosmo Slot Bot Mechanics

    • Functions similar to a slot machine, considered gambling.
    • Requires gambling terminology (e.g., spin, roll) which violates guidelines.
    • Does not disclose odds of winning rewards, violating transparency rules.
    • Rewards lead to further randomization and non-disclosure of odds, compounding violations.
  3. Loot Boxes

    • Sold for about $15, lack of displayed odds leads to potential exploitation.
    • Many rewards have their own randomized item pools without listed odds.

Flash Sale Scandal

  • Limited quantity release of the most expensive rank (Celestial Rank).
  • Players must spend $200 to prepare for a flash sale with no guarantee of purchase.
  • Flash sales lead to significant financial gain for the server in seconds.

Underage Gambling and IRL Trading

  • Large IRL trading culture where players sell in-game items for real money.
  • Leads to proxy gambling, with players wagering real money in-game.
  • Server allows advertisement of IRL trades, which is not permitted by many other servers.

Conclusion

  • Cosmic Sky's monetization practices are considered harmful and exploitative.
  • Server has a history of non-compliance with Mojang guidelines and has been blacklisted multiple times.
  • Current practices enable unregulated gambling, especially among minors.