Tec-Interactive shutdown private servers:
Official link forum metin2sg.
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Our position on private servers
Over the past few weeks, our company TEC Interactive has started to take actions against the owners of certain Metin2 private servers. As we know many of you have played private servers, have friends playing them, or even are or were part of their staff.
Private servers, whatever the justification is, are illegal. The logos, imagery, content, translations and game code of Metin2 are the intellectual property of Ymir Entertainment which require a license for their use, commercial or not. Intellectual property rights are recognized by the laws of virtually every country in the world, with penalties ranging from fines to jailtime depending on the country and severity of the infringement.
Ethically, it is also wrong to freeload on the work of Ymir Entertainment and its licensees which also develop exclusive content -such as TEC Interactive. The creation, development and maintenance of the game requires effort, professional staff and careful organization that don't come for free.
Private servers profit off the work of professional programmers and artists purely for their own economical benefit. Server files are sometimes sold by corrupt employees in the black market for big sums of money. Behind the naive facade of private servers, often lucrative business are carried, involving hacking , money laundring and tax fraud.
Some private server make claims that they are technically legal because they ask for "donations". Only charity and non-profit organizations, following strict government guidelines, are authorized to collect donations. A private server collecting "Donations" still falls under the definition of a commercial enterprise. Legally the claim that you are "collecting donations" and not selling item mall has no value.
Our players have some guidelines and rules to follow when playing our server. Likewise, we have obligations towards you - keep your information secure; give right to appeal on team decisions; keep the server free of hackers, malicious users and corruption of any kind; keep the server uptime to 99%; and so on. We can't delete your account for no reason or wipe out the database. If you stop playing Metin2SG and come back a year later, you will find your account in the same place, with the same items (assuming you haven't shared your passwords obviously). Private servers set their rules for the players, but being illegal have no obligation towards you and can be closed or restarted at any time without prior warning, which happens often.
Another issue is the balance of game. In TEC Interactive, we have content which will be released at a later stage and when the stage of player progress is adequate. Removal of level cap, new maps, new monsters, new items are prepared for future release. Private servers steal this content and make a mockery of the MMORPG genre with huge experience and drop rates that destroy any challenge in the game, and "special items" -often sold for real money or gifted to friends by corrupted GM- that totally unbalance the game.
Another concern for us is the security of your data. Private servers are handed by amateurs who have no legal obligation to keep your information secure. Account information can be sold to third parties, or used to access your accounts in other services, and there is nothing you can do against it.
Some of you may think that the private server scene is just a matter some harmless kids playing. In the most part, yes. But a few servers are managed by adults who have it as their primary source of income. Unlike official servers, they don't pay any license or tax, sometimes amassing big fortunes. Of course, none of this money invested in private servers by their players, will help the development of the game, as it will only fill the pockets of their owners. Licensed servers like Metin2SG pay a royalty to Ymir Entertainment which is invested in the development of new content, thus ensuring the future of the game.
Due to the mind-numbing number of private servers that popped out in the last year, TEC Interactive has started to take action against some notorious ones. We have been answered often with childish arrogance, threats and insults from those private owners when they see their lucrative illegall business endangered. No matter what the response is, we will keep taking action against pirates and freeloaders, because we want that when you spend your money -or your playtime!- in Metin2, the profit goes to the legitimate creators of the game who have worked hard to create the content that is being used by private servers for free.
CONCLUSION & WARNING
To-date, TEC Interactive have only requested for various ISPs to shut down the illegal operation of Metin2 private servers. With the particulars of the operator(s) and copy of their identification/travel document, we have not proceeded with any legal action to claim damages in relation to Copyright Law. We have also NOT forwarded or open a report with the FBI to proceed for an international arrest warrant to apprehend those responsible to be punished under the Criminal Law.
However, if those operators are butthurted and continue to flame or to revive their illegal operation, on behalf of TEC Interactive, I guarantee that we shall proceed with legal action to claim damages in relation to Copyright Law in your country and file a report with FBI for necessary action. Do not push your luck further!
Metin2 (English) private servers shut down by TEC Interactive to-date as follows:
1) Alpinemt2
2) Metin Kingdom
3) Deathju2Official
4) Metin2-United (Netherland server)
5) Metin2United (Romanian server)
6) Metin2Catalysm (Shut down by operator upon warning issued)
Meanwhile, TEC Interactive is still pursuing on other Metin2 (English) private servers based on information gathered.
And send me a email, in spanish:
Nombre: Juan Gonzalo Calderón Alonso
Asunto: Aviso legal por infracción de Copyright
Comentarios: Estimados señores,
Nuestra organización TEC Interactive Pte. con domicilio en 33 Ubi Avenue 3 #08-38 Singapore 408868, Vertex Tower A, y poseedor de la licencia para la publicación y explotación del juego "Metin2" por parte de YMIR Entertainment Ltd. basado en Seoul, Korea ha tenido noticia de este servidor privado que infringe nuestro Copyright sobre las imágenes, logotipos, ficheros, bases de datos y derechos de explotación comercial del juego "Metin2" según la Convención de Berna de 1971 y los acuerdos de la Wold Trade Organization (Artículo 10) de la que son miembros Korea (domicilio del propietario universal de los derechos), Singapur (somicilio del reclamante), Venezuela (domicilio del administrador) y Francia (donde se aloja su servidor) sobre derechos de propiedad intelectual.
Por la presente les comunico que su servidor ilegal ha de proceder a su cierre en el plazo máximo de 7 días desde la recepción del presente escrito de sus servidores de Metin2 y la retirada de los términos "Metin2" y cualquier logotipo del juego de su página web [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] registrada en OVH.
De no cumplir con el presente requerimiento amistoso, procederemos a efectuar las acciones legales correspondientes contra los administradores del servidor, en reclamación de daños y perjuicios por su explotación comercial no autorizada de ficheros y marcas registradas propiedad de YMIR Entertainment Ltd. De procederse a dicha denuncia, se les conminarà a compensar al propietario del Copyright -YMIR Entertainment Ltd.- con el abono de todos los beneficios económicos de su servidor desde su apertura, además de una cantidad adicional el concepto de Daños y Perjuicios según la legislación vigente.
Atentamente,
J.G. Alonso
Chief Technical Officer, Tec Interactive
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
En representación de Ymir Entertainment Ltd., Seoul, Korea y de los poseedores de la licencia CANTV.net, Sankando, Gameforge 4D, TEC Interactive, z8 Games y ONGAME.
Dirección de Correo: [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
Official link forum metin2sg.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
Our position on private servers
Over the past few weeks, our company TEC Interactive has started to take actions against the owners of certain Metin2 private servers. As we know many of you have played private servers, have friends playing them, or even are or were part of their staff.
Private servers, whatever the justification is, are illegal. The logos, imagery, content, translations and game code of Metin2 are the intellectual property of Ymir Entertainment which require a license for their use, commercial or not. Intellectual property rights are recognized by the laws of virtually every country in the world, with penalties ranging from fines to jailtime depending on the country and severity of the infringement.
Ethically, it is also wrong to freeload on the work of Ymir Entertainment and its licensees which also develop exclusive content -such as TEC Interactive. The creation, development and maintenance of the game requires effort, professional staff and careful organization that don't come for free.
Private servers profit off the work of professional programmers and artists purely for their own economical benefit. Server files are sometimes sold by corrupt employees in the black market for big sums of money. Behind the naive facade of private servers, often lucrative business are carried, involving hacking , money laundring and tax fraud.
Some private server make claims that they are technically legal because they ask for "donations". Only charity and non-profit organizations, following strict government guidelines, are authorized to collect donations. A private server collecting "Donations" still falls under the definition of a commercial enterprise. Legally the claim that you are "collecting donations" and not selling item mall has no value.
Our players have some guidelines and rules to follow when playing our server. Likewise, we have obligations towards you - keep your information secure; give right to appeal on team decisions; keep the server free of hackers, malicious users and corruption of any kind; keep the server uptime to 99%; and so on. We can't delete your account for no reason or wipe out the database. If you stop playing Metin2SG and come back a year later, you will find your account in the same place, with the same items (assuming you haven't shared your passwords obviously). Private servers set their rules for the players, but being illegal have no obligation towards you and can be closed or restarted at any time without prior warning, which happens often.
Another issue is the balance of game. In TEC Interactive, we have content which will be released at a later stage and when the stage of player progress is adequate. Removal of level cap, new maps, new monsters, new items are prepared for future release. Private servers steal this content and make a mockery of the MMORPG genre with huge experience and drop rates that destroy any challenge in the game, and "special items" -often sold for real money or gifted to friends by corrupted GM- that totally unbalance the game.
Another concern for us is the security of your data. Private servers are handed by amateurs who have no legal obligation to keep your information secure. Account information can be sold to third parties, or used to access your accounts in other services, and there is nothing you can do against it.
Some of you may think that the private server scene is just a matter some harmless kids playing. In the most part, yes. But a few servers are managed by adults who have it as their primary source of income. Unlike official servers, they don't pay any license or tax, sometimes amassing big fortunes. Of course, none of this money invested in private servers by their players, will help the development of the game, as it will only fill the pockets of their owners. Licensed servers like Metin2SG pay a royalty to Ymir Entertainment which is invested in the development of new content, thus ensuring the future of the game.
Due to the mind-numbing number of private servers that popped out in the last year, TEC Interactive has started to take action against some notorious ones. We have been answered often with childish arrogance, threats and insults from those private owners when they see their lucrative illegall business endangered. No matter what the response is, we will keep taking action against pirates and freeloaders, because we want that when you spend your money -or your playtime!- in Metin2, the profit goes to the legitimate creators of the game who have worked hard to create the content that is being used by private servers for free.
CONCLUSION & WARNING
To-date, TEC Interactive have only requested for various ISPs to shut down the illegal operation of Metin2 private servers. With the particulars of the operator(s) and copy of their identification/travel document, we have not proceeded with any legal action to claim damages in relation to Copyright Law. We have also NOT forwarded or open a report with the FBI to proceed for an international arrest warrant to apprehend those responsible to be punished under the Criminal Law.
However, if those operators are butthurted and continue to flame or to revive their illegal operation, on behalf of TEC Interactive, I guarantee that we shall proceed with legal action to claim damages in relation to Copyright Law in your country and file a report with FBI for necessary action. Do not push your luck further!
Metin2 (English) private servers shut down by TEC Interactive to-date as follows:
1) Alpinemt2
2) Metin Kingdom
3) Deathju2Official
4) Metin2-United (Netherland server)
5) Metin2United (Romanian server)
6) Metin2Catalysm (Shut down by operator upon warning issued)
Meanwhile, TEC Interactive is still pursuing on other Metin2 (English) private servers based on information gathered.
And send me a email, in spanish:
Nombre: Juan Gonzalo Calderón Alonso
Asunto: Aviso legal por infracción de Copyright
Comentarios: Estimados señores,
Nuestra organización TEC Interactive Pte. con domicilio en 33 Ubi Avenue 3 #08-38 Singapore 408868, Vertex Tower A, y poseedor de la licencia para la publicación y explotación del juego "Metin2" por parte de YMIR Entertainment Ltd. basado en Seoul, Korea ha tenido noticia de este servidor privado que infringe nuestro Copyright sobre las imágenes, logotipos, ficheros, bases de datos y derechos de explotación comercial del juego "Metin2" según la Convención de Berna de 1971 y los acuerdos de la Wold Trade Organization (Artículo 10) de la que son miembros Korea (domicilio del propietario universal de los derechos), Singapur (somicilio del reclamante), Venezuela (domicilio del administrador) y Francia (donde se aloja su servidor) sobre derechos de propiedad intelectual.
Por la presente les comunico que su servidor ilegal ha de proceder a su cierre en el plazo máximo de 7 días desde la recepción del presente escrito de sus servidores de Metin2 y la retirada de los términos "Metin2" y cualquier logotipo del juego de su página web [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] registrada en OVH.
De no cumplir con el presente requerimiento amistoso, procederemos a efectuar las acciones legales correspondientes contra los administradores del servidor, en reclamación de daños y perjuicios por su explotación comercial no autorizada de ficheros y marcas registradas propiedad de YMIR Entertainment Ltd. De procederse a dicha denuncia, se les conminarà a compensar al propietario del Copyright -YMIR Entertainment Ltd.- con el abono de todos los beneficios económicos de su servidor desde su apertura, además de una cantidad adicional el concepto de Daños y Perjuicios según la legislación vigente.
Atentamente,
J.G. Alonso
Chief Technical Officer, Tec Interactive
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
En representación de Ymir Entertainment Ltd., Seoul, Korea y de los poseedores de la licencia CANTV.net, Sankando, Gameforge 4D, TEC Interactive, z8 Games y ONGAME.
Dirección de Correo: [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
