This page states our project principles and summarizes Canadian law. It is not legal advice or a finding that a future service is non-infringing. The specific implementation needs review by a qualified Canadian intellectual-property lawyer before release.
The key points
Safeguards behind our approach
These are the practices and legal conditions central to our intended approach. They must be followed in the actual development and operation of the project; publishing them is not proof of compliance.
- Original code, with a documented source history.Write our own software and keep records of its origins, research, and third-party permissions. Do not use leaked code or redistribute proprietary game or server files.Development principles
- Authorized copies and a defined interoperability purpose.Section 30.61 can apply to qualifying reproduction by an owner of an authorized copy or a licensed user. Its conditions include obtaining interoperability information as the sole purpose, and limiting use or disclosure to what is necessary.Read the exception and its conditions
- No game distribution or unauthorized download links.Provide no game executables, extracted assets, cracks, activation keys, or links to unauthorized copies. A separate backend still needs its own legal assessment.What the project will not supply
- Distinct branding and clear non-affiliation.Use EraCourt's own identity, identify third-party names as compatibility references, and avoid suggesting official approval. Clear notices help communicate independence but do not grant permission.Full independence notice
Technical protections need separate review. Section 41.12 contains conditional interoperability exceptions; a lawful game copy or an original backend does not automatically authorize bypassing a digital lock. Read the limits.
Our status
Independent. Unofficial. Clearly identified.
EraCourt and Project 17 are not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, authorized by, or operated by 2K, Visual Concepts, Take-Two Interactive, the National Basketball Association (NBA), or the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
We are not an official game publisher, league service, or customer-support channel. We do not speak for these organizations or claim permission from them to operate a replacement service.
References to NBA 2K17 and other third-party names identify the intended compatibility target or explain the project. They do not identify the source of EraCourt's software or imply a partnership. A disclaimer does not itself resolve trademark concerns; avoiding confusion remains necessary. Trademarks Act, section 7.
Development principles
Why original software matters
EraCourt's intended contribution is independently written connection and backend software. Project 17 researches whether such software could work with a user's existing NBA 2K17 PC installation. It is not a project to distribute the game or its original server software.
Copyright protects original expression, rather than ideas alone. That distinction helps explain why writing new software is different from copying someone else's code or content. It does not establish that every compatibility method is permitted. The code, information sources, any copying, technical protections, and applicable terms all matter. CIPO: copyright basics.
Standards for the proposed project
- Develop original project software and document the sources and permissions used. This is a development commitment, not a completed independent audit.
- Require a user's own lawfully obtained, appropriately licensed game copy; do not provide a game licence or activation entitlement.
- Do not distribute game executables, extracted game assets, audio, leaked source code, proprietary server files, cracks, or unauthorized keys.
- Do not link to unauthorized downloads, torrents, shared accounts, or game-activation bypasses.
- Review any proposed interoperability method, patch, or release against applicable law and licence terms before making it available.
There is currently no public backend or launcher release. Descriptions of future features and safeguards describe the intended approach.
Canada
Interoperability has specific conditions
Canadian law recognizes some activities that help computer programs work together. These provisions are conditional exceptions, not a general licence to revive any game in any way.
Copying and permission
Section 27 sets out the general infringement rule: carrying out an act reserved to the copyright owner without consent can infringe unless a relevant legal exception applies. Supplying only a backend does not, by itself, settle every copyright issue.
Copyright Act, section 27A conditional statutory exception
Computer-program interoperability
Section 30.61 permits certain reproduction by someone who owns an authorized copy or has a licence to use one, solely to obtain interoperability information. Use or disclosure of that information is limited to what is necessary for interoperability or its assessment. Whether a specific development process meets those conditions must be examined.
Copyright Act, section 30.61Separate requirements apply
Technical protections and digital locks
Section 41.1 restricts circumvention and certain circumvention services and technologies. Section 41.12 contains interoperability exceptions with requirements that differ for the activity, service, device, or information involved. Its limits include loss of protection where specified infringing acts occur. Owning the game alone is not a blanket authorization to bypass protections.
Research and fair dealing
Section 29 recognizes fair dealing for specified purposes, including research. Calling a project research, educational, or preservation-focused does not by itself show that every use qualifies as fair dealing.
Copyright Act, section 29These summaries do not confirm that EraCourt has met an exception. The complete statutory text, the actual facts, and any other applicable obligations need to be considered together.
Clear boundaries
What these notices do not mean
- Free is not automatic permission. A non-commercial purpose, attribution, or a fan-project label does not generally replace permission or a valid exception. Section 27.
- Unavailable is not public domain. A game being delisted, unsupported, or disconnected from official servers does not itself end copyright. Copyright duration is set by law. General term: section 6.
- A lawful copy is not ownership of the copyright. It does not provide unrestricted rights to redistribute files or authorize every modification or connection method.
- A disclaimer is not authorization. Independence wording explains who operates this project; it does not grant rights in third-party software, brands, or content.
- Canadian context is not worldwide clearance. Copyright protection extends across borders. Relevant local laws and contractual terms still require assessment; this page does not promise that choosing a hosting location removes those obligations. CIPO guide to copyright.
EraCourt does not claim that being a community project prevents a rights holder from raising a concern, or that this notice establishes compliance with any game's end-user licence agreement.
Ownership & credits
Third-party rights stay with their owners
Third-party game code, characters, audiovisual material, music, logos, names, and other protected content remain with their respective rights holders. EraCourt claims no ownership of NBA 2K17 or its official services and grants no licence to their material.
EraCourt and Project 17 identify this independent project. The website's basketball illustrations are generated concept artwork, not game screenshots, official promotional images, or evidence of league or player endorsement.
Rights in original project material, where copyright subsists, remain with the relevant creators or owners, subject to applicable licences. Third-party components keep their own licence terms. The website's Inter and Barlow Condensed fonts are used under the Inter licence and Barlow Condensed licence.
Nothing on this page grants permission to republish the game or to present EraCourt as an official 2K or NBA service.
Rights holders
Copyright or trademark concerns
We take concerns about ownership, permission, and misleading association seriously. A useful report identifies the material, the relevant rights, and why the use is disputed.
No notice can currently be submitted through this website. A public contact address needs to be published before the project opens to players. The contact page is prepared, but its fields are disabled and it does not accept reports yet.
Information to include when a contact is available
- Your name, a reply address, and whether you are the rights holder or an authorized representative.
- The work or trademark involved and the basis of your claim.
- The exact EraCourt page URL or material you are concerned about, with enough detail to locate it.
- A clear explanation of the concern and the action you are requesting.
Do not send passwords, recovery codes, full game files, or unrelated personal information. This list is a practical guide, not a statement of statutory notice requirements or a promise of a particular legal outcome.
Read the originals
Official Canadian sources
Sources checked October 1, 2026. The linked Justice Laws consolidations were current to September 21, 2026 when checked. Follow the links for their latest text and amendments.
- Copyright Act · section 27General infringement provisions
- Copyright Act · section 30.61Computer-program interoperability
- Copyright Act · section 41.1Technological protection measures
- Copyright Act · section 41.12Interoperability exceptions and limitations
- Copyright Act · section 29Fair dealing
- Copyright Act · section 6General term of copyright
- Trademarks Act · section 7Prohibited conduct, including confusion
- CIPO · Copyright basicsOriginal works and expression
- CIPO · Guide to copyrightOwnership, protection, and international context
This is an independent project notice. Links to Government of Canada resources do not imply government approval or endorsement.