Skyblock vs. Microsoft: Final Legal Outcome | Skyblock

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share some news on the Skyblock legal case.

Unfortunately, on May 11th, the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board issued its final decision in favor of Microsoft and the eleven Minecraft Marketplace companies opposing my Skyblock trademark application, which I originally filed in late 2019.

I'm going to say a lot here, but it feels pointless given how much I’ve already expressed over the years, much of which can be found here regarding the topic. You can also read the USPTO decision here, along with access to other publicly available legal filings.

The decision made by the U.S. Trademark Office was that "Skyblock” is merely descriptive of a type of Minecraft gameplay rather than identifying a single source. It found that the extensive amount of evidence I provided did not prove the term had acquired distinctiveness exclusively tied to me (Noobcrew) or my platform here.

In my view, the decision was inaccurate because user-generated content is still relatively new in the gaming industry, and the open, modding-focused culture surrounding a game like Minecraft was used to twist the narrative. This decision was based on the interpretation and opinion of a small group of individuals at the U.S Trademark Office, rather than a determination of what is true or false, or moral or immoral. The popularity of content, and the communities that share it in non-commercial and non-damaging ways, should not be used as justification to label a unique creation as generic or unprotectable, nor to give others the ability to commercially exploit it under misleading circumstances.

This case was initiated because of the substantial revenue generated from companies replicating Skyblock along with the significant 63% share Microsoft receives from the Minecraft Marketplace platform.

The companies involved:

- Microsoft Corporation
- Razzleberries AB (Marketplace Partner)
- Sapphire Studios LLC (Marketplace Partner)
- Jigarbov Productions (Marketplace Partner)
- Mineplex LLC (Bedrock/Java Server)
- ReWrite Media, Inc. (aka. Pathway Studios)
- Spark Squared GmbH (Marketplace Partner)
- Aurrora Limited (Marketplace Partner)
- King Cube LTD (Marketplace Partner)
- Easy Games, Inc. (Roblox Studio)
- Ziax Ltd. (aka. CubeCraft)
- Hydreon Corporation (aka. Lifeboat)

Microsoft and the aforementioned companies persuaded the decision in their favor by relying heavily on examples such as the usage of "Skyblock" for multiplayer servers along with fan-created maps shared on platforms like Planet Minecraft as part of their defense.

Much of the decision appeared to center around the usage of the name on Minecraft servers — an environment that even Microsoft and Mojang themselves can't control. As many players know, Multiplayer servers have long freely used names and concepts associated with major franchises and game modes such as Hunger Games, Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, and many others. Even companies like Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have consistently used legal pressure and have not been able to fully inhibit what occurs within Minecraft servers and community-created spaces. You can still find Minecraft servers with copyrighted Pokémon characters from mods and custom content, but honestly, who really cares. In fact, my lack of attempts to take action on Minecraft servers, which I fully support, was only used to show my abandonment. I've reiterated this before, but Microsoft and the Minecraft Marketplace Partners have used the culture of Minecraft and the non-damaging community aspects to their commercial advantage.

For years, Mojang and Microsoft have promoted the idea of creating unique content and the belief that, in some form, what you create belongs to you. Even the Minecraft EULA still reinforces that concept. However, I feel the outcome of this case demonstrates the opposite — that creators do not truly own what they create.

The final decision made in this case will only benefit the larger companies that capitalize on creations originally made by smaller creators, using them for profit within a controlled Marketplace that permits the sale of such content, while similar activity outside of that platform such as independently selling maps, worlds, and other Minecraft related content would violate the Minecraft EULA and Microsoft’s own guidelines.

The only companies truly capable of commercially selling Minecraft content through official channels are Minecraft Marketplace Partners. If you are not already an established company, or not affiliated with one, then any content you create outside this realm must be free. And if something you create becomes popular enough, the entities most capable of commercially benefiting from it are in fact those Minecraft Marketplace Partners. In summary, individual creators can not directly sell content, yet exclusive companies partnered within the Minecraft Marketplace can.

These Marketplace companies actively monitor what is trending and what gains traction. Search terms, algorithms, and trends are what drive the Minecraft Marketplace and therefore popular ideas are profitable ones. These companies mass produce and replicate other ideas that have already gained popularity as it is not only easier, but they can generate significant revenue in doing so.

That is not to say every Marketplace company operates this way or lacks originality. There are creators and teams that genuinely produce unique content and care about the community. However, the largest companies dominate the Marketplace ecosystem and ultimately shape many of the trends and business practices surrounding it.

As I referenced in my previous statement, two of the opposing companies — Razzleberries and Sapphire Studios — have, by my estimates, generated approximately $4.5 million and $1.5 million respectively from their individual Skyblock Marketplace products titled “Skyblock” and “Original Skyblock.” These are significant amounts for single products and demonstrate how massive and profitable this industry truly is. Now, these same companies have further confirmation that the legal strategies they pursued throughout this case were effective.

If my trademark rights had been recognized, it does not mean I would have been obligated to broadly restrict others from using the Skyblock name. There was never a situation where I intended to impose unnecessary control or act in ways the community would view as unreasonable. Rather, I would have had the ability to determine what I believed was acceptable or unacceptable usage, much like how Minecraft’s own EULA and guidelines were introduced years after the game’s release and continue to evolve over time. If the usage of "Minecraft" can exist through third-party content in non-damaging ways, then the same could apply to "Skyblock".

What did need to stop, however, was the monopolization and over-commercialization of Skyblock within the Minecraft Marketplace by the companies involved in this case. These tactics were designed to capitalize on the popularity and recognition of the original Skyblock concept in ways that could mislead consumers into believing they were purchasing the official or original Skyblock worlds.

In fact, the only attempt that was made at contradicting this, were by lawyers representing 'Razzleberries' and 'Sapphire Studios' whom claimed that their usage of phrases such as “Original Skyblock” or “The one and only Skyblock experience” were not attempts by their clients to claim originality. Instead, they stated these phrases merely combined “Skyblock” with descriptive or laudatory wording intended to highlight product qualities, not to indicate or differentiate source. Yet, besides the garbled legal nonsense, it is fairly obvious why someone would use terms such as “Original Skyblock” unless the intention was to imply authenticity, originality, or association with the original Skyblock itself.

Throughout the years, I repeatedly attempted to resolve the matter and find common ground, and with consideration for the legal complexities involved, I stated to these companies that I would even permit Marketplace content to continue using the Skyblock name if, and only if, it was used with clear secondary meaning and without falsely implying originality or official association. In every attempt to settle the matter, those proposals were declined. They understood that the case could simply be dragged out for years in hopes that financial pressure would eventually force me to give up and be unable to continue challenging it.

During the middle of this case, Microsoft officially made “Skyblock” a Marketplace category in 2022 and released an official “Skyblock Pack” containing an “Original Skyblock” map. Ironically, this was in partnership with Sapphire Studios and Jigarbov Productions, two of the opposing companies involved in this case. This was done before any final ruling had been made, effectively reinforcing the narrative that “Skyblock” was generic or descriptive and did not indicate a specific source. These actions were calculated and to influence public perception, which only further shifted the outcome in favor of Microsoft and the opposing companies. I wasn't allowed to inhibit the infringing use of Skyblock due to this opposition, yet they were allowed to proliferate it over the course of 5+ years. The perception of Skyblock today in 2026 does not relate to the perception of Skyblock in 2019 when I filed the trademark.

This case was a daily struggle for years, something constantly weighing on my mind and always demanding attention. Lawyers, depositions, hundreds of files and personal records, endless amounts of time, stress, and financial burden all became part of my life throughout this process. This is something known by my family and friends and it was very personal. It felt as if I was on trial, as if I broke some sort of law, when all I did was create a simple Minecraft world. I did not start this legal battle nor ever wanted to be a part of it. I was cornered into this twelve against one fight, having only the option of either completely forfeiting my rights or defending myself. And in having to protect my future goals, and incapable of giving in, I essentially gambled my future on my defense and accumulated over $350,000 in legal debt over time simply trying to protect something I rightfully created. I barely made a dent in what is owed and the financial consequences of this will take me many years to recover from. I did not know how long this process would take, and it often felt like the case was continuously dragged out. I was always open to conversation, compromise, or mutual understanding to stop this years ago.

I created Skyblock when I was 15 years old, and with Skyblock’s 15th anniversary approaching this September, I have now spent half of my life providing Skyblock to the Minecraft community. Despite millions of downloads over the years, substantial amounts of evidence, and even official Minecraft books acknowledging my authorship of Skyblock, it ultimately was not enough. After all of that, my rights have been stripped away, effectively making it impossible for me to grow Skyblock into something greater or evolve it into its own standalone game like i've always wanted to do.

Meanwhile, the companies opposing me lose nothing. Instead, they gain the removal of my interference and the continued ability to profit from the popularity and recognition surrounding Skyblock moving forward.

The USPTO’s position is that neither I nor my platform represents the singular and definite source that the Minecraft community associates with Skyblock, despite my longstanding history and recognition connected to it. Their conclusion suggests that players do not place significant importance on the originality behind the Skyblock content itself, but rather perceive “Skyblock” more as a style of gameplay that can exist across many maps and servers. Under that view, a player can join virtually any map or server containing floating islands in the sky and receive what is considered substantially the same experience.

However, the concept of islands floating in the sky was not something I came up with and the idea was not even entirely new in Minecraft at the time. Skyblock did not become popular because it was just some floating blocks in the sky, it did so (unexpectedly) because of the survival mechanics, progression, and challenges that I personally incorporated into its own gameplay, and something players seemed to enjoy. The fan community growing upon it, innovating, and using the name in non-damaging and non-commercial ways to create something as their own, should not grant a creation unprotectable by the U.S Trademark Office by means of generic or descriptiveness and therefore commercialable by others with no restraints. The entire purpose of a trademark is to protect against misleading or malicious commercial use, not to punish harmless fan creativity.

I did not expect this outcome. I waited every day for years for this case to come to a close, and it is deeply unfortunate to once again see power and influence favor companies with substantially greater resources than individuals. It is something I would hear about, but never expected it to occur to me. Trademark decisions are ultimately made by a small board of individuals whose conclusions inherently rely on human interpretation and bias. In many ways, something as significant as this should be grounded as closely as possible in what is objectively true or false, lawful or unlawful, rather than subjective interpretation. This case is impossible to ignore for what it truly is. It was driven by profit and corporate interests from the very beginning. Any opinion suggesting otherwise is simply ignoring the truth.

I believe it is time for me to move on regarding my continuation of Skyblock and its original files within Minecraft. I know that if I continue, not only will this incident eventually be forgotten, but I will also continue contributing to the popularity and growth of Skyblock in ways that ultimately benefit Microsoft and the companies that opposed me throughout this process. Because of that, I have decided to effectively remove all original downloadable versions of Skyblock.

I am not trying to upset the Minecraft community with this decision. I only hope that the millions of players who have enjoyed Skyblock throughout the past 14 years can understand my perspective. This is my only way of protesting what has occurred here and I would much rather make a final statement through the original Skyblock worlds, so these companies are remembered for the role they played throughout this situation in some form or another. Whether they personally believe any of this matters or not, it is now a part of Skyblock’s history. Any future player who looks into the origins and history of Skyblock will inevitably become aware that my decision to no longer provide Skyblock was the result of efforts by those who legally took away my ability to own it — something that Microsoft, Razzleberries, Sapphire Studios, Jigarbov, Mineplex, Pathway Studios, Spark Squared, Aurrora, King Cube, Easy Games, CubeCraft, Lifeboat, and any of the other companies won't be able to deny or justify.

I greatly appreciate the overwhelming amount of love and support from all of the players that have been following this case, and it genuinely meant a lot to know that others truly care for what I believe in here. As for our multiplayer servers, while keeping my promise to our multiplayer community that they are not going anywhere, I will continue working on and maintaining them for as long as humanly possible. However, in the coming months, I will likely begin stepping further back personally to focus more on life outside of all of this, while delegating additional responsibilities to current and future staff members/developers for some period of time.

Thank you everyone for understanding.

More details, facts, my opinion, and my legal evidence/claims found here: Marketplace | Skyblock

Edit:

Please understand that despite misinformed opinions and rude comments from all of the lawyers across Reddit and Twitter, this was my personal decision to remove the downloads in protest, entirely by my own choice and not Microsoft’s.

To clarify once again, I would have never interfered with fan-created Minecraft maps, servers, mods, or essentially anything within Minecraft itself other than the misleading Marketplace products. I could have easily worked with these companies to put my intentions into writing in whatever legal way was possible, and they were fully aware of this but decided not to. The arguments by Microsoft and others were never truly about protecting Skyblock for the fan community.

I do not have to continue providing Skyblock if I no longer feel comfortable doing so on a platform where I genuinely feel larger commercial interests took advantage of what I created. If the issues surrounding the deceptive and dishonest products on the Minecraft Marketplace which imitate the originality of Skyblock are ever resolved by Microsoft or these companies, I would gladly provide the official downloads again.

The files can be made available and shared by others, and I am of course, not stopping anyone from doing so.

long fight, appreciate the effort you put in. Sad to see Microsoft treat a creator in such a way.

you can rest now crew, it was a long and hard fought battle, and the outcome is quite sad, and quite maddening, hope to see you around more, you have given your best ❤️

Well at least you tried Noobcrew. Every year it seems like big corporations seem to be winning over individuals who care unfortunately.

Really sorry to hear about this outcome. You've done all that you possibly could, Crew. We appreciate your effort towards Skyblock, and I hope taking a step back proves beneficial for you.

You did the best you can. Unfortunately Companies like Microsoft will always have the upper edge as they can exploit any legal loophole and make it seem its legal. Microsoft alone, made a net profit of USD 101.8 Billion last year. That should tell how much resources they can use to get their way.

Thank you for your dedication to the server, the time you spent in this case that ultimately did not sway in your favor, and sacrificing your time to fight for small creators (and businesses alike). No matter what happens we're here to support you.

Getting real tired of watching the big guy win time and time again. Thank you for everything you’ve done to keep this server and community alive through all of it.
Take a step back, delegate some responsibility, reinsert yourself into the community and the game you created, and try to enjoy it again instead of carrying the weight of everything alone.

Really sorry, though, to hear this outcome, and I’m concerned about the precedent it could set for similar cases going forward.

Devastating

Really goes to show that we own nothing we create, and can be stolen easily by those with more money than talent.

Been reiterating for years. Never seen a company more anti-consumer than Microsoft in all of its operations.
Can't wait for the day that their ship sinks to the bottom of the sea.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sad to see the way this has ended.. I've known you more than enough years to understand how much Skyblock means to you, it's very upsetting to see your hard work being stolen without any credit or rev share. These companies making millions off the back of your hard work is genuinely disgusting.

Thanks for creating the server I started playing on back in 2o14, meeting friends, having a fun place to hang out after school. It's onwards and upwards now as sad as this is, you always know where I am to chat

Sorry to hear it.
Focus on your creation, make it awesome and put the others to shame.

We all grew up with skyblock didn't we?
Thank you for creating a masterpiece for our childhood

Glad to be able to say I've been here over a decade, this will always be the best minecraft server.