User generated content (UGC) has been a defining force in shaping the community and experience within World of Warcraft (WoW), helping secure its place as the worldโs largest and most successful MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) for over twenty years. From custom addons, cosmetic player designs, and inventive play modes to creative guides and interface overhauls, WoW players have always innovated in ways that enhance their experience within the virtual world or recreate it altogether. However, this system sits within clearly defined legal boundaries and faces new challenges as Blizzard (WoWโs developer) tightens its stance on UGC capabilities within the virtual world they created.
What is UGC?
UGC is simply content created and shared by the players rather than the developer. This can include items such as custom maps, skins, levels, mods, or entirely new game modes. UGC can be created using in-game tools (such as in Roblox or Fortnite) or external tools/applications (such as addons and WeakAuras in WoW). Regardless of the form it takes, UGC has helped players enhance and customize their gaming experience within the virtual worlds they play. More recently, studios provide opportunities for player-developers to profit off of the UGC they create via revenue-sharing or providing a marketplace for such UGC. However, the extent to which a player-developer has rights in and to their UGC entirely depends on the studio-developerโs End User License Agreement (EULA) and Terms of Use (ToU).
How Addons and WeakAuras Have Helped World of Warcraft
Addons and WeakAuras (WAs, a toolkit allowing players to build custom, in-game modifications) are forms of UGC that have been core to WoWโs gameplay. These tools have helped millions of players optimize, enhance, and custom tailor their gameplay experience, and, crucially, make the game accessible to a much wider audience. Guilds comprised of deaf players have leveraged WAs and other addons to break barriers and complete the gameโs end-game content. Addons help players load in-game guides, strategies, and cosmetic improvements, driving WoW to become one of the most customizable MMORPGs. Blizzardโs new stance on addons and WAs not only limits the gameโs customizability but may render WoW inaccessible to individuals who have relied on them to play the game.
Game Modes and Features Inspired by UGC
UGCโs impact goes beyond utility. It inspires entire game modes and new features. The Class Hardcore Addon, originally a community-enforced system for tracking deaths and encouraging gameplay where the player doesnโt die, became so popular that Blizzard implemented official Hardcore Classic Servers. These servers took inspiration from the addon and implemented the rules and features the players came to know and love. This is a prime example of player creativity fueling new features and altering the official game landscape in innovative ways.
Copyright and Ownership of UGC
Blizzard owns all copyright in WoW. Almost all UGC created in WoW (addons, WAs, custom interfaces, game modes, designs, cosmetics) is considered a derivative work using Blizzardโs intellectual property (IP) (derivative works are new works based on preexisting copyrights). Under U.S. copyright law, Blizzard (as the original copyright holder) retains all rights to derivative works. Blizzardโs EULA and ToU further require users to grant Blizzard an irrevocable, perpetual license to everything they create in-game, or upload into the game, and all application created using Blizzardโs data (such as WAs and addons) to cover any UGC that may not be considered a derivative work. Blizzard alone can use, alter, or commercialize the UGC.
Legal and Monetization Landscape
Despite the communityโs creativity, every aspect of UGC is shaped by Blizzardโs EULA and ToU. All UGC is, per the EULA, licensed to Blizzard, meaning that while users can create, they have very limited rights and may not monetize, charge, or restrict access to any of their creations. Blizzardโs ToU similarly contains a license to Blizzard for all applications created and expressly prohibits player-developers from receiving any form of monetary compensation for applications they create. The restrictions on monetary compensation include prohibitions on charging to download, offering โpremiumโ for-pay features, soliciting for donations, or implementing video advertisements. Attempts to monetize UGC, such as subscribing to Patreon, Twitch, or other forms of paywall, exist in gray areas. While Blizzard has the legal right to enforce takedowns or account penalties in such areas, enforcement has not been consistent, and some UGC has existed in a monetized format, whether direct (paywalls, ads) or indirect (Twitch subscriptions, Patreon), for years despite the express prohibition under the ToU. Nevertheless, as WoWโs new expansion rolls out, monetization options for UGC creators grow more limited, and, unlike other gaming studios, Blizzard does not allow nor provide a platform for the player-developer to profit off their UGC.
Practical Steps for Creators
Whether within WoW or any other video game, Creators should ensure they are aware of their rights and limitations as provided in the developerโs EULA and ToU. While some studios may allow, and even support, the monetization of UGC, others may not, and it is crucial to understand your rights as a player-develop for any video game you may create content within.
Impact of the Midnight Expansion
Anticipation for WoWโs next major expansion, Midnight, is mounting, but so is uncertainty for UGC creators. Blizzard is poised to limit and even remove certain functionalities and capabilities rendering addons and WAs inoperable, particularly those that assist in combat. The lead developer for the WA addon has already announced they will not maintain the addon as the game heads into Midnight, and many popular addons may see reduced functionality, or be shells of their former version. While cosmetic addons may persist, combat addons, WAs, and the accessibility they offered, appear to be ending.
The Next UGC Frontier: Player Housing
Even as traditional UGC faces new challenges, Blizzardโs introduction of player housing in Midnight may usher in a renaissance for creativity. This much anticipated feature will allow players to build, decorate, and personalize their own homes within the virtual world. This system will include import/export tools to let players share layouts. These capabilities set the stage for new opportunities to innovate and inspire within Blizzardโs framework.
Moving forward, WoWโs UGC ecosystem will likely pivot away from combat-focused addons and WAs. However, player housing opens up fresh avenues for creators to contribute in meaningful ways to enhance their gaming experience and interact with other players. Community driven designs may define the next chapter of UGC in Azeroth.
Sebastian Safaei
Sebastian Safaei is an associate attorney at McCandlish Lillard. His law practice focuses on business law, transactions, and intellectual property, with a passion for digital media, entertainment, content creation, and video games. Prior to joining ML, Sebastian worked at boutique law firm, assisting entrepreneurs launch, build, and eventually sell their businesses, ensuring the clientโs IP was protected every step of the way. Sebastian can be reached at [email protected].
