Today I took advantage of Lavish Software’s Christmas sale and extended my subscription until 2026. With time a precious commodity with World of Warcraft, it’s beneficial to use software like JoeMultiboxer to simultaneously complete tasks on multiple accounts.
To use JoeMultiboxer, you need an active Lavish Software subscription.
Yesterday (05.05.21), Blizzard made another policy change regarding multiboxing within World of Warcraft. It is now prohibited to use software or hardware mechanisms to mirror commands (input broadcasting keystrokes) to multiple World of Warcraft accounts.
Players found to breach these new conditions will receive warnings, account suspensions, and, if necessary, permanent closure of the player’s World of Warcraft account(s).
I have added below a screenshot of the updated policy change from Kaivax – Community Manager at the World of Warcraft forums.
These new policy changes will affect many players, myself included. So this morning, I approached Blizzard’s Support and opened a ticket to clarify whether the use of Joe Multiboxer (JMB) was safe to use. If you read my review on JMB here, you can see that JMB doesn’t input broadcast keystrokes to multiple accounts. Thanks to Blizzard’s term “streamlining” I found this vague and felt it was essential to get some clarity.
Please find below a copy of the support tickets from today’s conversation with Blizzard Support. The last response is vital as the GameMaster expresses that as long as the program used (JMB) meets the criteria set out in the policy change, then it’s okay to use.
I also attached a screenshot from JoeMultiboxer’s website outlining the inability to broadcast keystrokes to multiple World of Warcraft accounts with their program.
I felt the response was very vague, pretty much a copy and paste job (from the policy itself), so I carefully worded my response in the hope of getting a definitive answer.
As mentioned above, this final response from a GameMaster clarifies that as long as JMB doesn’t breach the criteria set out in the policy change, then it’s okay to use.
As I only use JMB for their window layout manager and the program doesn’t have input broadcasting to multiple accounts, I will continue to use JMB. The only players banned so far are those that have participated in Group Farming or World PvP. A result of other players reporting them.
Since the original policy change in November last year, I haven’t done any Group Farming, Dungeons, or PvP. My sole purpose for using JMB is to reduce my posting times; when I post my auctions. This is possible with their window layout manager and using multiple accounts.
Blizzard’s Support is extremely helpful and approachable, and I understand the guidelines they must adhere to when responding to players. However, I hope this blog post today offers a little reassurance to you if you use JMB.
Thank you to the GameMasters for their time and continued efforts.
I wasn’t aware of this software until one of my readers, Moorea WoW was kind enough to share it within the comment section to one of my multiboxing articles. Moorea informed me that WoW Open Box is a “safer and free alternative to Joe Multiboxer (JMB) with a better UI and opensource options.”
For an explanation of how WoW Open Box is safer, click here.
WoW Open Box is an open-source multiboxing software released on November 22nd, 2020, available to players in time for World of Warcraft’s Shadowlands release.
Window Layout Wizard
Instant window swapping
Additional Options
For a comprehensive list of all Features and installation explained
When my JMB subscription ends, I will be using WoW Open Box. What’s appealing it’s free, and it offers the same features that I use from JMB – meaning I lose nothing when I make that transition. If you’re looking for a free alternative option to JMB, consider using WoW Open Box for your multiboxing needs.
There have been some big developments on the multiboxing front due to Blizzard’s change in stance on multiboxing. A month shy of World of Warcraft’s release of Shadowlands, Blizzard changed their policy on players using third-party software to input broadcast keystrokes between accounts, meaning IsBoxer was illegal to use within World of Warcraft.
Many felt that these changes were necessary for the game going forward due to the number of players botting. By eliminating input broadcasting from third-party software/programs, it made it easier to highlight botters. Sadly, even to this day, botters are ever-present. It appears the only people that took the brunt of the new policy changes were the players that abided by Blizzard’s ToS.
Thankfully, the team at IsBoxer worked tirelessly to introduce a new program, which was released a couple of days before Shadowlands, called Joe Multiboxer (JMB). The program had some of the original benefits of IsBoxer, but without the ability to broadcast keystrokes. This decision and improvement meant Joe Multiboxer was within Blizzard’s new policy and terms of service.
Since the changes, I have used Joe Multiboxer, purely to post auctions on different characters/accounts at the same time. The program gives you the ability to launch multiple WoW clients simultaneously and apply a window layout depending on the number of clients used. I normally use three clients at a time, but occasionally I’ll use four clients, and they fit very nicely on one screen.
The addition of new agents into Joe Multiboxer will help develop the program further as time goes on.
I know there are people successfully multiboxing, PreparedWoW has adapted to Blizzard’s policy changes by moving from software broadcasting of keystrokes to multiple clients to hardware broadcasting instead. His setup looks very complicated and costs a lot of money to set up. It’s worth checking him out if you want to incorporate his build into yours!
According to Blizzard, the use of hardware to broadcast keystrokes between different clients appears to be okay. The fact PreparedWoW openly streams his multiboxing content on Twitch and, on many occasions, has publicly informed Blizzard of his hardware setup via emails – to prevent other players from maliciously false reporting his players/accounts.
Many people in the World of Warcraft community were happy with these changes; hell, I even admitted in my original article that “multiboxing was a contentious subject within the WoW community,” but none were as happy as Asmongold when Blizzard released their policy change. He’d fought tirelessly to bring multiboxing to an end, as he believed it gave players an unfair advantage.
If you’re interested in using Joe Multiboxer, be aware that this is a subscription-based program (P2P). For details of the plans available, please check Lavish Software. They have a free 30-day trial if you’re unsure whether the program is for you. You must have a subscription to access Joe Multiboxer.
Also, I have a referral code that can benefit us. I believe that this is still valid, I will amend it if not.
Good evening to you all. To any of you avid multiboxers out there (like myself) who succumbed to Blizzard’s recent multiboxing policy changes, be aware that the developer Lax of ISBoxer has a new product for testing this weekend. This product does not breach Blizzard’s Multiboxing policy on input broadcasting via third-party software!
As previously mentioned in another post, Blizzard amended their policy on multiboxing, bringing an end to third-party software use for input broadcasting. This method is now prohibited and will flag any accounts seen loading World of Warcraft via ISBoxer (Innerspace) or any other third-party software designed for input broadcasting purposes.
Players within World of Warcraft are already reporting situations where they’ve received suspensions (50 years) or bans for use/non-use of ISBoxer and other programs.
Reminder: Multiboxing isn’t against Blizzard’s ToS. Suppose you suspect a multiboxer of using input broadcasting (you can see the player’s main and minions interacting/in combat simultaneously), then, by all means, report the player(s). Please do not just report players because they merely have alts on /follow; you’re potentially getting a legal player suspended and wasting the time of a GM to look into this matter.
Lax, the developer of ISBoxer, has developed a new software called: Joe Multiboxer (JMB). The meaning behind the name; “The average Joe can multibox with Joe Multiboxer.” Lax has also clarified on Discord that JMB will have the same features from ISBoxer; any element that could send input to another window (input broadcasting) has been removed in conjunction with Blizzard’s multiboxing policy.
Lax hopes JMB will be available as soon as possible, with a chance of testing this weekend (13.11.20). The testing phase will be available to all subscribers with some or most features unavailable.
Since ISBoxer’s demise, I’ve missed the window layout feature and the CPU management tool. These features meant having multiple World of Warcraft clients open at once on one or two screens and not overloading my CPU. If Lax has incorporated these features into JMB (as they’re not input broadcasting), this will be great news for me.
For me, the benefit of multiboxing is working the Auction House on one client while using other clients to complete World Quests, leveling characters or farming rares. The window layout manager helps keep all this on one screen.
Come on, who doesn’t like watching videos on Youtube on the second window?!
If you already have a subscription with Lavish Software, there is nothing more to pay. If you’re interested in using JMB and don’t have a subscription set up yet, please consider using my referral; we’ll both benefit with extra days free to our subscriptions.
Today’s post is not sponsored, neither am I endorsed by Lavish Software (ISBoxer). Anything I’ve posted regarding Lavish Software and ISBoxer is my unbiased opinion.
The best place to receive updates is at the ISBoxers Discord channel. Once you’ve successfully joined, check out the following Discord servers;
#Announcements
#jmb_faq
#jmb_general
Many readers will be skeptical, especially those who have gone to great lengths to get multiboxing (with input broadcasting) banned successfully. Your efforts haven’t gone in vain. The new software will still be a long way short of what ISBoxer once was, and the players will notice this when they return to multiboxing via JMB.
What made multiboxing with ISBoxer more accessible and efficient was the ability to input broadcast to multiple clients simultaneously. Now that input broadcasting is removed (any tasks to do with herbalism, farming dungeons, etc) via multiboxing will be a lot more demanding and less efficient.
The changes mean it’s easier to tell if someone is multiboxing with input broadcasting.
However you perceive multiboxing, I hope you can acknowledge that players like to play the game differently, and as long as we abide by the ToS that govern World of Warcraft, go out and play the game as you wish.
If you’d like to share your views below in the comment section, please do so respectfully. Thanks for reading!
[Source] The information used in this post was gathered together from Lax’s jmb_faq server on Discord.
It’s turned in to a demoralising evening so far tonight, and I’m not even referring to the impending U.S Election Results, lol. Instead, I’m slightly upset by the breaking news that Blizzard has decided to change its policy on players using third-party broadcasting software to Multibox.
With Blizzard’s new policy, they will now, in the first instance, be handing out warnings to players caught using any third-party software for Multiboxing, and further uses will incur either suspensions or even permanent bans. I’d recommend not using Isboxer, or any other third-party software as of tonight (03.11.2020), to prevent any potential issues. Better safe than sorry!
While third-party software use is now an actionable offense, Blizzard has confirmed that you can still Multibox without third-party software and use multiple accounts at any one time.
IsBoxer have released a statement, which I’ve added below. They’re seeking further clarification from Blizzard, regarding their policy changes. They have made a good example of how EVEonline changed their policy regarding use of third-party software, yet it’s not banned.
Sadly for me, my current Lavish subscription doesn’t expire until May 26th, 2023. But even if Blizzard allow the use of Isboxer, without the use of broadcasting keys, I may still be interested in the software. Isboxer has two great functions, that aid multiboxing that doesn’t breach Blizzards new policy. The use of their Window Layout profiles and their CPU management tools.
Tonight’s news will have repercussions on the economy, undoubtedly for good; otherwise, Blizzard wouldn’t have acted. Items farmed by multiboxers will have the biggest effect, and if you play the Auction House like me, you may want to buy a lot of these cheap items. The items I mention below should be considered viable to purchase and flip as the supply begins to drop, and the demand increases, so will the value.
Many materials (Ore, Leather and Cloth) will have a demand until the Scourge Invasion release, and the need for Uncanny pieces is no longer needed. Cloth may be viable for crafting Deep Sea bag, Embroidered Deep Sea Bag, as the new bag won’t be available until Shadowlands releases.
Reminder: Please do bear in mind that while Multiboxers are no longer a viable option, there’s a possibility that pre-made group farming via Discords or the in-game Community system may be an alternative for farmers. Please adapt over the coming days/weeks.
Cloth:
Leather:
Mob drop Mounts (unique only one allowed in your inventory):
Transmog:
Herbs:*
Ore:*
To Be Updated:
You’ll notice that I’ve added an asterisk beside Ore and Herbs. Because the new policy prevents multiboxing, this may not affect botters. Botters are the main culprits farming herbs and ore (mainly in Nazjatar), and the return of vast amounts of cheap herbs this week suggests their return! Botters don’t care about policies and ToS, so they’ll possibly continue!
While this change has had a massive effect on me and many other Multiboxers, I must add that I did feel it was something that was going to happen. The uproar in the World of Warcraft community regarding Multiboxers, undoubtedly forced Blizzard’s hand in bringing a change for the benefit of the game going forward. However, I do feel a lot of remorse for the big boxers in-game, the likes of Skitzyo, PreparedWoW and Pechthefarmer.
With Shadowlands on the cusp of releasing, and the recent release of the Blizzards earnings results, probably meant if they were going to make a dramatic change, it was now or never. Blizzards next earnings results will show if this had a major effect on their revenue.
While I weep on the fact I have 3 years remaining on my Isboxer subscription; 6 months subscription remaining on my 8 WoW accounts, I now have the tough task of consolidating all my characters to three accounts; at least there’s a 30% discount to character transfers lol!
Thanks for reading, and good luck to all Americans that turned out to vote!