EFF calls Daybreak a copyright bully over its EverQuest emulator lawsuit
19 days ago
- #emulators
- #copyright
- #MMORPG
- Daybreak Games sued the EverQuest Heroes Journey emulator (THJ) for profiting from its IP, pulling in $100K/month at the expense of the live MMO.
- The EFF criticized Daybreak as a 'copyright bully,' but omitted key facts like THJ's financial impact on EverQuest.
- Daybreak has historically allowed non-profit emulators (e.g., Project 1999, SWG servers) but took action against THJ due to direct competition and financial harm.
- The EFF compared Daybreak to 'new owners alienating fans,' but Daybreak is essentially the same as Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) under new management.
- Daybreak’s emulator policy ('don’t charge nothin’, won’t be nothin’') is more lenient than studios like Blizzard, which aggressively pursues for-profit emulators.
- Most emulator servers affected by the lawsuit were restored within weeks, showing the resilience of non-profit fan communities.