Ads, Revenue, and API - WowUp and Overwolf Split Over Addon Development

The popular third-party addon manager WowUp will not have access to CurseForge addons, following the denial of their application for API access by Overwolf. In an update on the use of their API, the head of CurseForge explained that WowUp's recent decision to partner with addon hosting competitor Wago.io would make them ineligible from working together. As a result, World of Warcraft addon creators and their methods of distribution are becoming increasingly split by the continuing fight over developer compensation. By changes to their client, they mean ads.

No Longer Turning a Blind Eye

Since taking over CurseForge and its gigantic addon repository in 2020, Overwolf has become mired in controversy over the function of third party addon managers, which use the CurseForge API to download the addons. While Twitch may have turned a blind eye to the practice, perhaps having something to do with their eventual decision to sell the platform, Overwolf has taken scraping and unauthorized use of their API as a serious threat to both their business and the earnings of addon creators, due to the increased burden on their own infrastructure. Essentially the complaint boiled down to not being compensated for use of their infrastructure, which in turn meant not being able to pay addon authors.

Overwolf CurseForge does not have an official API for 3rd parties who want to download files from its servers. The way some addon managers operate today, is by reverse engineering the calls between the Twitch Client and the CurseForge backend. A good analogy is someone reverse engineering the Spotify app to stream songs from Spotify’s servers without receiving Spotify’s or the artists’ consent to do so. Unauthorized use of the CurseForge API Read more on wowhead.com