Realistically, the only “risk” is that a server might shut down unexpectedly. In that case, you would lose access to your characters and progress. There are no financial or legal consequences. However, this is not a concern for us whatsoever.

No. All legal action by Blizzard has been against server operators. There is zero precedent for Blizzard taking action against a player simply for playing on a private server.

No. Players have never been targeted by Blizzard or any legal entity for using a private World of Warcraft server. Legal enforcement, when it happens, is directed at those who host the server, not those who play on it.

There is no history of Blizzard banning anyone for simply playing on a private server. They don’t track players on private servers, and they would need direct access to your computer or account to even know you were playing.

No. Simply playing on a private server is not considered piracy. You’re not redistributing or profiting from copyrighted material. The legal concern lies with the server hosts who distribute Blizzard’s game files, not players who connect to those servers.

If a private server is taken down, your only risk is losing access to the game. Your personal data and accounts are not at risk, and Blizzard has never targeted players following server shutdowns. We are personally not concerned about Proudmoore being taken down.

Only if you were to tell them or try to log in to your Battle.net account from within a private client (which you shouldn’t do). Private servers like Proudmoore are completely separate from Blizzard’s infrastructure.

No. Playing on private game servers is not monitored or blocked by ISPs or governments in most countries. There’s no known case of anyone being penalized by their provider for playing WoW on a private server. However, there are some countries such as Iran that monitor web traffic. In this case, it would be advised to use a VPN.

No. Most players do not use a VPN, and there’s no need to unless you want added privacy. VPNs are optional, but not required to protect yourself while playing. Depending on your location, a VPN may improve your latency.

No. Proudmoore does not share player data, and there’s no precedent for any server handing over player information to Blizzard. Furthermore, we are not concerned about being shut down.

Only if you provide it voluntarily. Proudmoore does not ask for personal ID or payment info in order to play. Donations, if accepted, go through secure third-party processors like PayPal.

No. Private servers do not connect to Blizzard’s systems and cannot view or access any of your Blizzard or Battle.net account activity.

No. To stay safe, always download the client directly from the official Proudmoore website and never share your password across multiple services.

A: No. Even players who have donated to private servers have never been pursued legally. The legal line is drawn at commercial hosting and distribution, not players supporting a project.

It’s legally gray. While distributing modified clients can violate Blizzard’s terms, players downloading and using them have never faced legal consequences. Think of it like emulators: the software may violate terms, but users are not prosecuted.

In the entire history of private servers, no player has ever been targeted under EU or US copyright law. Courts have only pursued server operators or distributors—never players.

Not at all. Private servers are often more welcoming and community-driven than retail. You’ll find that many players on private servers are helpful and passionate about the game, and many of the features on Proudmoore are intended specifically for newcomers.