Terms of Service

1 Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Vision Online Games, LLC, a California limited-liability company ("we," "us," or "our"), governing your access to and use of our website located at visiononline.games, our video games, software applications, online multiplayer services, game preservation projects, newsletters, and any other digital content or services we may offer (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing, browsing, registering for an account, downloading, installing, or otherwise using any of our Services, you represent that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you are using the Services on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

These Terms work in conjunction with our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. Any terms used but not defined in these Terms shall have the meanings given in our Privacy Policy.

2 Description of Services

Vision Online Games, LLC provides the following categories of Services:

• Video Game Development and Publishing: Original game titles developed and/or published by us, available for download or access through our platforms.
• Online Multiplayer Game Services: Persistent online game environments, including but not limited to Pirates of the Burning Sea, featuring live servers (free-to-play), legacy servers (subscription-based), and test servers, along with associated launchers, patching systems, and account management.
• Game Preservation: Acquisition, maintenance, and continued operation of previously shut-down or at-risk online games, including server hosting, community management, and ongoing development.
• Software Development Services: Custom software engineering, backend infrastructure, tooling, and platform development for third-party clients.
• Website and Content: The visiononline.games website, including informational content, newsletters, blogs, press materials, and community resources.
• Community Platforms: Discord servers, forums, social media channels, and other community engagement platforms operated or sponsored by us.

We reserve the right to add, modify, discontinue, or replace any Service at our sole discretion, with or without notice.

3 Eligibility and Accounts

3.1 Age Requirement

You must be at least the age of majority in your jurisdiction (eighteen (18) years old, unless otherwise required by applicable law) to use our Services. If you are between thirteen (13) and seventeen (17) years old, you may use our Services only with the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian who also agrees to these Terms. We do not knowingly provide Services to children under thirteen (13).

3.2 Account Creation

To access certain features of our Services, you may be required to create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete registration information;
• Maintain and promptly update your account information;
• Maintain the security and confidentiality of your account credentials (username and password);
• Accept responsibility for all activity that occurs under your account, whether or not authorized by you;
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security; and
• Use only one account per person unless we explicitly permit multiple accounts.

3.3 Account Restrictions

You may not share, transfer, sell, or otherwise make your account available to any third party. Each account is personal and non-transferable, except as we may expressly permit in writing.

4 User Conduct and Acceptable Use

You agree to use our Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You expressly agree not to:

4.1 General Prohibitions

• Violate any applicable law, regulation, or third-party right;
• Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity;
• Transmit any material that is defamatory, offensive, pornographic, harassing, threatening, abusive, harmful, hateful, inflammatory, or otherwise objectionable;
• Interfere with or disrupt the Services, servers, or networks connected to the Services, or disobey any requirements, procedures, policies, or regulations of such networks;
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Services, any other systems or accounts, or any information stored therein;
• Use any automated means (including bots, scrapers, spiders, crawlers, or data-mining tools) to access the Services without our prior written consent;
• Engage in any activity that could disable, overburden, damage, or impair the Services;
• Introduce malware, viruses, worms, time bombs, Trojan horses, or any other harmful or malicious code; or
• Circumvent any technological measures designed to protect the Services or our intellectual property.

4.2 Game-Specific Conduct

In addition to the general prohibitions above, when using our online game services, you agree not to:

• Use exploits, hacks, cheats, bots, macros, or any unauthorized third-party software that provides an unfair advantage or disrupts gameplay;
• Engage in real-money trading (RMT) of in-game items, currency, accounts, or services unless explicitly authorized by us;
• Harass, intimidate, threaten, or abuse other players through in-game chat, voice communication, or any other means;
• Engage in griefing, scamming, phishing, or fraudulent behavior that harms other players' experience or accounts;
• Manipulate the in-game economy through duping, glitch exploitation, or other unauthorized means; or
• Create or join societies (guilds) for the purpose of disrupting gameplay, harassing other players, or violating these Terms.

4.3 Enforcement

We reserve the right to investigate any violation of these Terms and to take appropriate action, which may include but is not limited to: issuing warnings, temporarily or permanently suspending your account, deleting your account and associated data, banning your device or IP address, refusing future services, and pursuing legal remedies.

5 Intellectual Property Rights

5.1 Our Intellectual Property

All content, features, and functionality of the Services — including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio clips, digital artwork, game assets, software, code, compilations, trade dress, and the design, structure, selection, and arrangement thereof — are owned by Vision Online Games, LLC, our licensors, or other third-party rights holders and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws.

Our trademarks, service marks, trade names, and logos (including "Vision Online Games," the Vision Online Games logo, and all game titles) are registered and unregistered marks of ours or our licensors. Nothing in these Terms gives you a license or right to use any of our trademarks without our prior written consent.

5.2 Limited License

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable license to:

• Access and use the Services for personal, non-commercial purposes;
• Download and install our games and software on devices you own or control, solely for your personal use; and
• Create one (1) backup copy of installed game software, solely for archival purposes.

This license does not include any right to modify, adapt, translate, reverse-engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works based on the Services or any portion thereof, except to the extent expressly permitted by applicable law that cannot be waived by contract.

5.3 Restrictions

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any of the material on our Services except as follows: (i) your use of web page content that is made available for caching by an Internet browser application is restricted to single-user, non-redirected, and non-distributed caching; and (ii) provided you preserve all copyright and proprietary rights notices, you may download one copy per user of printed materials from a web page to a single computer for your own non-commercial, non-profit personal use.

5.4 Third-Party Intellectual Property

Certain content in our Services may be owned or licensed by third parties (e.g., game engines, middleware, music, artwork). Your use of such content is subject to the terms and conditions set forth by those third-party rights holders. We make no representation regarding any third-party content other than that we have the right to make it available under the applicable license.

6 User-Generated Content

6.1 Your Content

Certain Services may allow you to submit, post, transmit, or display content, including but not limited to custom ship designs, flags, sails, society names, chat messages, forum posts, feedback, suggestions, and other materials (collectively, "User Content"). You retain all intellectual property rights in your User Content.

6.2 License to Us

By submitting User Content, you grant Vision Online Games, LLC a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display such content in connection with operating, providing, and improving our Services. This license continues for as long as your User Content is accessible through the Services.

6.3 Representations

You represent and warrant that: (i) you own or have the necessary rights to submit the User Content; (ii) the User Content does not violate the privacy, publicity, or intellectual property rights of any third party; and (iii) the User Content does not violate these Terms or any applicable law.

6.4 Moderation

We have the right — but not the obligation — to review, edit, modify, move, or remove any User Content at our sole discretion, with or without notice. We are not responsible for any User Content posted by users.

7 Payments, Subscriptions, and Refunds

7.1 Subscription Services

Certain of our game services may require a paid subscription (e.g., the Legacy Server for Pirates of the Burning Sea). By purchasing a subscription, you agree to pay all applicable fees as displayed at the time of purchase. Subscriptions are billed on a recurring basis (monthly, quarterly, or annually) until you cancel.

7.2 Payment Processing

All payments are processed securely through our designated payment service providers. We do not store your full credit card information on our servers. By making a purchase, you authorize us and our payment processors to charge your selected payment method for the applicable amount.

7.3 Price Changes

We reserve the right to modify subscription fees, in-game item prices, or other charges at any time. Any price changes will take effect only for new purchases made after the change date and will not affect active subscriptions already in place (which will continue at the then-current rate until renewal).

7.4 Refund Policy

• Subscriptions: Subscription fees are non-refundable except as required by applicable law or as we may elect in our sole discretion.
• In-Game Purchases: Virtual items, currency, and other digital goods purchased within our games are final and non-refundable once delivered, unless a defect in the item is attributable to us.
• Exceptions: If you believe you have been charged in error, or if you are entitled to a refund under applicable consumer protection law, please contact us at contact@visiononline.games.

7.5 Failed Payments

If your payment method fails or is declined, your subscription or access may be suspended. You are responsible for updating your payment information to restore service.

8 Virtual Items and In-Game Currency

• All virtual items, in-game currency (e.g., Burning Sea Doubloons), rewards, bonuses, and other digital assets ("Virtual Items") are the sole property of Vision Online Games, LLC. You are granted a limited, revocable, non-transferable license to use Virtual Items solely within the game environment for which they were issued.
• Virtual Items have no real-world monetary value and cannot be redeemed for cash, transferred to another account (except through authorized in-game mechanics), or used outside of our Services.
• We reserve the right to modify, remove, or adjust Virtual Items at any time, including correcting errors, addressing exploits, or balancing gameplay. No compensation will be provided for modifications or removals of Virtual Items.
• The unauthorized sale, trade, or exchange of Virtual Items for real money ("Real-Money Trading") is strictly prohibited and may result in permanent account suspension.

9 Service Availability and Modifications

9.1 No Guarantee of Continuous Availability

Our Services are provided "as available." We do not guarantee that the Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or continuously available. Scheduled maintenance, emergency repairs, server upgrades, and other operational activities may result in temporary unavailability.

9.2 Right to Modify

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify, suspend, discontinue, or replace any aspect of the Services at any time, with or without notice. This includes changing game mechanics, updating content, adjusting server configurations, altering pricing, or terminating specific game servers.

9.3 Data Backup

We make commercially reasonable efforts to maintain and back up your account data; however, you are responsible for maintaining any locally stored data. We are not liable for any loss of data resulting from service interruptions, hardware failures, or other events beyond our reasonable control.

10 Third-Party Services and Links

Our Services may contain links to, or integrations with, third-party websites, applications, platforms, or services (e.g., Discord, social media, payment processors, analytics providers). These third-party services are not under our control. We provide these links for your convenience and do not endorse, warrant, or assume responsibility for the content, accuracy, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party service.

Your interactions with third-party services are solely between you and the applicable third party. We encourage you to review the terms of service and privacy policies of any third-party service before using it.

11 Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection, use, storage, and disclosure of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Services, you consent to the practices described in our Privacy Policy.

12 Termination and Suspension

12.1 By Us

We may suspend or terminate your access to all or part of the Services at any time, with or without cause and with or without notice, including but not limited to: (i) if you breach these Terms; (ii) at our sole discretion; (iii) if the Services are discontinued; or (iv) as required by law. Upon termination, your right to use the Services will immediately cease.

12.2 By You

You may terminate these Terms at any time by ceasing use of the Services and, if applicable, closing your account. To request account closure, contact us at contact@visiononline.games.

12.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination for any reason: (i) your license to use the Services will terminate immediately; (ii) we may delete your account data and associated Virtual Items, subject to our data retention practices described in our Privacy Policy; (iii) any accrued but unused subscription time or credits will be forfeited; and (iv) provisions that by their nature should survive termination — including Sections 5 (Intellectual Property), 13 (Disclaimers), 14 (Limitation of Liability), 15 (Indemnification), 16 (Dispute Resolution), and 17 (Governing Law) — will survive.

13 Disclaimers of Warranties

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE. VISION ONLINE GAMES, LLC AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AFFILIATES, LICENSORS, AND PARTNERS (COLLECTIVELY, THE "VISION PARTIES") EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT;
• WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING, COURSE OF PERFORMANCE, OR USAGE OF TRADE;
• THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY CONTENT PROVIDED THROUGH THE SERVICES;
• THAT THE SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE;
• THAT ANY DEFECTS OR ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED; AND
• THAT THE SERVICES WILL MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS OR REQUIREMENTS.

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH CASES, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARE LIMITED TO THE MINIMUM DURATION REQUIRED BY LAW.

14 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE VISION PARTIES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES;
• COST OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
• DAMAGES RESULTING FROM UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA;
• INTERRUPTION, DELAY, OR ERROR IN DATA TRANSMISSION; AND
• ANY OTHER DAMAGES ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICES.

THE TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF THE VISION PARTIES TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICES — WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE — SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (A) ONE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($100.00); OR (B) THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE PAID TO US IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM.

THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS SHALL APPLY NOTWITHSTANDING FAILURE OF ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY LIMITED REMEDY AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE VISION PARTIES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. ACCORDINGLY, SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU, AND YOU MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS.

15 Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Vision Parties from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, debt, fees, charges, expenses, and proceedings (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from: (i) your use of or access to the Services; (ii) your violation of these Terms; (iii) your violation of any third-party right, including intellectual property or privacy rights; or (iv) your User Content.

We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you. You will cooperate with us as reasonably requested in asserting any available defenses.

16 Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

16.1 Mandatory Binding Arbitration

16.2 Informal Dispute Resolution

Before initiating arbitration, either party must attempt to resolve the dispute informally by sending a written notice of the claim ("Notice of Dispute") to the other party at the contact information provided in Section 21. The Notice of Dispute must describe the nature and basis of the claim and set forth the specific relief sought. If the dispute is not resolved within sixty (60) days after delivery of the Notice of Dispute, either party may initiate binding arbitration.

16.3 Arbitration Procedures

• Arbitration shall be conducted by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Rules and Supplementary Rules for Consumer Disputes, as modified by these Terms.
• The arbitration shall take place in Santa Clara County, California, unless both parties mutually agree to an alternative location.
• The arbitrator — not the courts of the United States — shall have exclusive authority to administer and determine all issues relating to the existence, scope, meaning, validity, enforceability, and interpretation of this arbitration agreement.
• The arbitrator may award individual relief only (i.e., no class-wide or representative relief).
• The arbitrator shall issue a written award and statement of findings and conclusions, to the extent required by applicable law.
• Any judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

16.4 Class Action Waiver

YOU AND WE AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. Unless we and the arbitrator agree, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims, and may not otherwise preside over any proceeding that involves more than one person's claims on a consolidated or representative basis. This waiver applies to class arbitration, class-wide injunctive or declaratory relief, and proceedings brought on behalf of the general public in the arbitrator's capacity as a private attorney general.

16.5 Exceptions

The following disputes are not subject to mandatory arbitration and may be brought in individual capacity in court: (i) small claims court actions within the jurisdictional limits of such courts; (ii) actions for intellectual property infringement, misappropriation, or dilution (where you seek injunctive relief to protect your intellectual property rights); (iii) actions arising under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act; and (iv) any claim where mandatory arbitration is found to be prohibited by applicable law.

16.6 Attorney's Fees

The prevailing party in any arbitration or legal proceeding brought to enforce these Terms shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

16.7 Right to Opt Out

You may opt out of the mandatory arbitration provisions by sending written notice of your election to opt out to us at legal@visiononline.games within thirty (30) days of the effective date of these Terms. Your opt-out will not affect any other provision of these Terms, including the class action waiver for purposes of any claims brought after the opt-out period.

17 Governing Law and Venue

These Terms, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them (including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law principles or the Uniform Commercial Code (unless expressly referenced herein).

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply to these Terms.

Except for disputes subject to mandatory arbitration under Section 16, any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of or related to these Terms or the Services shall be instituted exclusively in the federal or state courts located in Santa Clara County, California. Each party irrevocably submits to the personal jurisdiction and venue of such courts and waives any objection to jurisdiction or venue.

18 Copyright Infringement (DMCA)

We respect the intellectual property rights of others and expect our users to do the same. If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, or that your rights are otherwise being violated through use of our Services, please provide our designated Copyright Agent with the following information as required by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (17 U.S.C. § 512):

• A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed;
• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple works are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works;
• Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate the material;
• Information reasonably sufficient to permit us to contact you, including your address, telephone number, and email address;
• A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
• A statement that the information in the notification is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Please direct all DMCA notices to our Copyright Agent at:

We may, in our sole discretion and subject to applicable law, terminate the access or account of any user who we determine in appropriate circumstances to be a repeat infringer.

19 Severability and Waiver

19.1 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the validity, legality, or enforceability of any other provision. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. If an invalid provision is found to be broadly worded, it shall be construed as limited to the extent necessary to preserve its enforceability.

19.2 Waiver

No failure or delay by us in exercising any right or remedy under these Terms shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or remedy preclude any further exercise of any right or remedy. The waiver of any breach of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of any other or subsequent breach.

19.3 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other legal documents specifically incorporated by reference herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and Vision Online Games, LLC concerning the Services and supersede all prior or contemporaneous agreements, understandings, communications, and representations, whether written or oral.

20 Amendments to These Terms

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify, replace, or update these Terms at any time. We will provide notice of material changes by posting a prominent notice on our website and/or by sending you an email prior to the effective date of the changes.

Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of any modified Terms constitutes your acceptance of those changes. If you do not agree to the modified Terms, you must cease using the Services and, if applicable, close your account before the effective date.

The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page indicates when these Terms were most recently revised.

21 Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

These Terms were last revised on June 23, 2026. By using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood these Terms and agree to be bound by them.