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== Legal issues ==
Emulating the server of the proprietary commercial game often violates [[End-User License Agreement|EULA]] as many commercial MMORPGs require the user to sign a clause not to create or use server emulators. Additionally, many server emulators retain portions of the original [[Source code|code]], and thus violating [[copyright law]]. Examples of such violations include the popular ''[[RuneScape]]'' emulator ''Winterlove''—which retained decompiled, unauthorized portions of the original game client.<ref name="Winterlove Emulator">{{cite web | url = https://www.moparisthebest.com/origrs2/ | title = Winterlove RuneScape Emulator | accessdate=2017-05-30}}</ref><ref name="RSBuffer Opensourced">{{cite web | title = RSBuffer Legal Alternative to Winterlove Stream | url = https://www.rune-server.ee/runescape-development/rs2-server/snippets/196415-final-solution-all-rs-communication-rsbuffer.html | accessdate=2017-05-30}}</ref> The server may try to avoid violations by serving from the country where some [[intellectual property]] laws possibly apply differently or not at all. Typically, the locations chosen rarely differ enough in copyright and patent law to protect the individual(s) behind the emulator. Examples of these [[Bulletproof hosting|offshore]] misconceptions include the popular hosting choice that is the [[Netherlands]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rune-server.ee/runescape-development/rs2-server/465798-rsps-legality-old-title-jagex-threatening-servers-83.html#post4132756 | title = The offshore misconception highlighted throughout emulation communities | accessdate = 2017-05-30 }}</ref>
Another issue is a possible [[copyright infringement|infringement]] of the game creator's copyright. If the complete emulator is a work of its own, copyright violation is not as obvious as EULA violation (see [[Lotus v. Borland]] case). However sometimes the original server [[Source code leak|software leaks]] out of the company that created the game, for example [[AEGIS (Ragnarok Online)]]. Use or distribution of leaked code is widely held to be copyright infringement. There are cases where a game creator has effectively shut down private game servers by threatening [[lawsuit]]s due to intellectual property violations, such as offering a modified client (see [http://maple-news.com/2008/06/25/german-court-admits-mistake-on-odinms-lawsuit/ information on NEXON v OdinMS]) for download or offering downloads of modified files from the original game package.
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|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141007062948/http://www.geek.com/games/blizzard-wins-88-million-from-scapegaming-over-illegal-wow-servers-1277800/
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> Scapegaming’s violation involved operation of an unauthorized copyrighted version of [[World of Warcraft|''World of Warcraft'']]. Scapegaming ran microtransactions encouraging players to donate money to advance in the game resulting in $3,053,339 of inappropriate profits. This is one of the first big cases implemented against server emulation.
In July 2011, [[Nexon]] has threatened to take MMORPG development community RaGEZONE to court over users creating and sharing custom emulated servers. Nexon claims to file legal proceedings against all parties involved in the MMORPG development scene. [[Disney]] has also fought against server emulators for its MMO [[Club Penguin|''Club Penguin'']], resulting in the closure of iCPv3 in October 2010, which had over 100,000 users when [[Disney]] filed a [[cease and desist]] notice against the emulator.<ref name="cp">{{cite web
|url = http://cppshq.com/2010/10/18/icp-is-gone-icpro3-is-the-next-icpv3/
|title = iCPv3 is Gone? – New iCP?
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