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.