The Pirate Bay tracker to shut down

The Pirate Bay tracker to shut down
As we reported earlier today, The Pirate Bay is being sold to another Swedish company Global Gaming Factory X (GGF). The publicly listed software company stated that the acquisition will have an effect on the business model of The Pirate Bay which has been known to be the most popular BitTorrent site on the Internet. In addition to these changes some less expected changes are going to happen too.

Peter Sunde, co-founder of TPB, has told TorrentFreak that The Pirate Bay will be shutting down their tracker and remove torrent files from their servers. After closing the tracker The Pirate Bay will use the torrents of an upcoming third party service which will introduce an API accessible by other torrent sites as well.



It's still unclear how GGF intends to compensate the content providers and copyright owners. Neither has the company revealed further information how the acquisited Peerialism and its file-sharing technology will affect The Pirate Bay.

Written by: Matti Robinson @ 30 Jun 2009 9:30
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  • 41 comments

  • dRD

    Interesting to see who will run the "third party company" that'll eventually host the trackers.. Who is going to be brave enough to take such task..

    30.6.2009 09:34 #1

  • BurningAs

    Well this is bloody stupid. All these years fighting the law, the bay just gets bought out and goes legit overnight. Very stupid.

    30.6.2009 09:54 #2

  • Matt898

    Peter Sunde goes from hero to coward...It's a shame

    30.6.2009 10:34 #3

  • canuckerz

    Originally posted by BurningAs: Well this is bloody stupid. All these years fighting the law, the bay just gets bought out and goes legit overnight. Very stupid.Frigging eh man, ridiculous. From the way it sounds it looks like they're going to turn it into a subscription newsgroup or something along those lines.

    30.6.2009 11:11 #4

  • SgtDavis

    This has always been the problem with pirates: without fail, they always have a price. I wonder who's next?

    30.6.2009 11:32 #5

  • xyqo

    They can call it:
    The Sellout Bay

    30.6.2009 11:34 #6

  • Interestx

    Of course it's sad and of course if they could have found another way they most probably wouldn't be doing this.

    But.

    The day someone hits you with a $3+ million fine and you see no way out as the legal appeals process in your country has been leant on so heavily that they end up not caring about obvious conflicts of interest come and talk to the rest of us about those "sell out" claims then.

    Personally I think it's hilarious.

    The Pirate Bay founders sell off their stuff for a hell of a lot of cash
    (more than they were fined and with luck more than their legal costs)
    and the new company will watch their new venture turn to sh*t overnight as everyone abandons it and refuses to go for the new pay-site BS.

    Smart move.

    I'm looking forward to the 10 new TPB replacements that spring up in its place.

    30.6.2009 12:38 #7

  • xyqo

    @Interestx
    it doesn't matter whether you agree with them or not. The fact that they were the ones who got all preachy and operated in the name of freedom (which ironically has been the basis or many wars) should tell you that; now that they've sold their assets to a company which is going to make it a subscription based site mean they have 'sold out'.
    Honestly I use TPB but i'm not a rampant pirate. I buy much of my music, games and movies legitimately, far more than any piracy I engage in. I know that a million and one sites will be there to replace them in no time.
    Face it they did it for the money these guys are no martyrs they sold out simple. I'm not angry with them this is a world of sell outs.

    30.6.2009 13:34 #8

  • cart0181

    Maybe they can call it the Pheonix Bay, after their former logo.

    30.6.2009 14:15 #9

  • patron

    every man has his price, this is fact.

    30.6.2009 14:40 #10

  • scorpNZ

    It's just business & how many of you jealous whingers would turn down the money offered.....thought as much..nough said

    30.6.2009 14:41 #11

  • Interestx

    xygo

    Well, if you want to call it "preachy" then go ahead. I guess it can't be helped.

    There are more than a few who would just call it them being honest and stating their case.

    The honest fact is that copyright law in the guise that the music and movie companies want it now is insane, there's nothing "preachy" about pointing that out, especially when you are under a prolonged & sustained attack because of your POV
    (a long and drawn out attack that was to the tune of several million $, don't forget).

    What's up with having a credible and logical ethic behind your position?

    Were they Saints?
    Obviously not.

    Should they have not made a penny from their activities?
    I don't see why not, clearly they were not making huge fortunes from what they did, given the likely costs of what they did.

    In stark contrast to the leaches and thieves in the so-called 'legitimate' end of the business
    (as literally hundreds of 'artist' v record company/agent etc etc Court cases over the decades around the globe proves)

    30.6.2009 14:50 #12

  • xyqo

    Look i'm not saying that they shouldn't have made any money. But the fact still remains that they did bail and i'm fully aware of the circumstances surrounding this whole situation.

    I'm not say that the fact that they sold the company is all bad at the same time (because i agree that modern media companies are absolute criminals) it can be argued that two wrongs don't make a right.

    In addition it might make people wonder if the new owners will in turn give out info on TPB users to regulatory bodies (Govt orgs, MPAA, RIAA ect.)

    30.6.2009 15:32 #13

  • Interestx

    Originally posted by xyqo: In addition it might make people wonder if the new owners will in turn give out info on TPB users to regulatory bodies (Govt orgs, MPAA, RIAA ect.)That's a fair point but I think we'll know soon enough what happened there.

    My bet is that they did one of 2 things.
    Either they wiped all records on the point of sale or they allowed log-in details to remain (for advertsing purposes) but wiped any history details (assuming they even collected those).

    I can see no good reason why they would provide the sort of details to this Swedish private company that would be of any use or relevance to the MPAA or RIAA nor why that Swedish provate company would provide them to the MPAA & RIAA.
    It would come out eventually anyways and be the absolute kiss of death to them.

    30.6.2009 16:14 #14

  • joe777

    Some folks are not happy and the site suffered a DDoS attack today and rumour has it that the army is surrounding and the attacks will resume tomorrow. Between that and a mass exodus from the site I dont think the userbase will be worth alot by the end of the week.
    But aside from that I personally dont think we are hearing all of the story. But time will tell eh!!!

    30.6.2009 17:59 #15

  • zax808

    paysite bullsh*t. do they really think we would go for that, theres a dozen sites already up. there just waiting for this to happened so they can gain popularity. my guess is that mininova will take the lead. demonoid will probably recluse up and stay more private like they usually do
    (witch is what makes that site so awesome)

    30.6.2009 23:21 #16

  • varnull

    Watch the interview.. look at his eyes ..

    http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/ar...is+sold/3242057

    1.7.2009 04:06 #17

  • LOCOENG

    Originally posted by varnull: Watch the interview.. look at his eyes ..

    " target="_blank">http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/ar...3242057

    Nice use of a pentagram to represent the file sharing community as a pictogram.


    1.7.2009 09:15 #18

  • ThePastor

    I think this is pretty pathetic too...
    But, a couple of points.

    $7.7 Mil is chump change. They WAY undersold. The Software, Music and Movie industries spend that on coffee in the morning every day. They are laughing.

    We all know that the new company will fail. That's a given. There is no way that the current userbase will want anything whatsoever to do with any kind of paysite or site which limits offerings only to what they deem "legal".
    I believe that they do not care. They have slain the dragon and for a mere $7.7 Mil... LOL what a paltry sum. I still cannot believe that.

    MiniNova will be the clear winner, but they will fail as well. I don't know why others don't like MiniNova, but I don't like it because it's just plain slow. I don't see that changing at all if the TPB userbase flocks to there. I bet Mininova crashes for weeks after the changeover!

    1.7.2009 13:50 #19

  • sobranie

    How exactly do companies such as demonoid, pirate bay etc make their millions. There doesn't seem to be an excess of advertising on some of these sites so from whence comes the cash?
    Member donations maybe??

    2.7.2009 08:24 #20

  • Mez

    Most of you talk pretty tough as long as your head is not on the chopping block. 9 out of 10 of you would soil their paints if you were in their shoes.

    They did not go to jail, they paid off their legal fees and are left with stock that may have some value. That was the smart thing to do.

    sobranie, they don't. They had a project to raise 10 mil and buy an island that was not part of any country and move off shore. They couldn't raise 2 mil. Had all the big tough talkers put some money where their mouth is they would have been out of jurisdiction. Why would they go to jail for a buch of cry babies?

    2.7.2009 09:19 #21

  • Hazard666

    Originally posted by Mez: Most of you talk pretty tough as long as your head is not on the chopping block. 9 out of 10 of you would soil their paints if you were in their shoes.

    They did not go to jail, they paid off their legal fees and are left with stock that may have some value. That was the smart thing to do.

    sobranie, they don't. They had a project to raise 10 mil and buy an island that was not part of any country and move off shore. They couldn't raise 2 mil. Had all the big tough talkers put some money where their mouth is they would have been out of jurisdiction. Why would they go to jail for a buch of cry babies?    I agree with Mez 100%. Calling TPB cowards and sellouts? Really? Do you internet rebels think that you would last as much as they have to this point? How exactly is selling your business that you've put years of hard work into just to not go to jail "selling out"? I guarantee you nerds wouldn't do anything different.

    2.7.2009 10:24 #22

  • varnull

    Principles have a price.. these guys have paid it. For years they have fought our battles for freedom of information. To the victors the spoils.. and to the losers at least allow them some dignity in defeat. All those years of work and fighting for a principle.. only to be taken down with lies and corruption.. but the losers never get to write history do they? It takes guts to stand up year in and year out and hold 2 fingers proudly aloft at the powers of big business and the corrupt governments it owns.. that's a fight none of us are brave enough to take to them on our own.. we have lost something this week.. Something precious that we will never see the like of again. The dissenting voices have been silenced.. the corrupt have won and will now try to silence all the smaller people taking the same stand.This is our chance to make sure what these guys did FOR US will not be forgotten.

    Like rats leaving a sinking ship those of us who truly believe in the free sharing of information have run for safety.. but who can blame us? We don't have large sites which can pay for lawyers, so we have let the bay fight our battles for us, and we are eternally grateful to them for what they have done and the stance they have taken on our behalf. Millions of people have had their lives and opinions changed in ways most can only guess at.. our children are the ones who have truly lost.. Another nail driven in to the coffin of free information for the sake of wealth and power for the few.. because remember my friends.. information IS power. Take it away from us and we are powerless because we don't have the information to form an opinion or make a judgement.. it's more than a few copyrighted films isn't it?

    Just because they salvaged what they could and surrendered.. is there any shame in that? NO.. the shame lies with us for allowing this to happen to our champions without a huge protest and outcry. We fought the "3 strikes rule" and got it thrown out.. by pressure of numbers and lobbying.. and in the end the threat of millions of votes going somewhere else. Now it is up to us to do our part.. throw these corrupt politicians and judges out.. while we still have enough democracy left to achieve that.

    Thanks Peter and crew.. I for one recognise the great debt both financial and moral I owe you. Good luck with whatever ventures you take on next.. I guess we will be hearing from you sometime soon.. but first a holiday eh? *hugs*



    Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work.
    I would rather you hate me for who I am than love me for what I am not.
    “It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state.” - Bruce Schneier

    2.7.2009 11:26 #23

  • arrgghh

    This is a sad day for torrent users as yet another site has SOLD OUT....

    they should re-name it "The Traitor Bay"

    Well at least they weren't like the scumbags from Lokitorrent who actually took money from user as part of there legal defense and then sold out and ran with the money. Still a sad day........

    2.7.2009 11:47 #24

  • hmdm2000

    Hey guys what are you thinking about...money is money

    2.7.2009 11:48 #25

  • OFI

    Originally posted by ThePastor:

    MiniNova will be the clear winner, but they will fail as well. I don't know why others don't like MiniNova, but I don't like it because it's just plain slow. I don't see that changing at all if the TPB userbase flocks to there. I bet Mininova crashes for weeks after the changeover!    Wow, Mininova has its own tracker now? ¬_¬

    Isn't this a little silly selling it for so much over the fine? They have been in court fighting over sharing torrents and claiming they have made no profit from it at all contrary to what RIAA/MPAA etc have said.
    Now they quite clearly will be, i'd be suprised if they didn't get sued for the change.

    2.7.2009 12:45 #26

  • luckybleu

    Did people really believe TPB founders weren't in this for the money? Seriously? it was all about them standing up for our rights to freedom of information? What a joke.Mini nova will be next to go with their battle in the Netherlands,as soon as someone throws some $ their way,it was never about principals.Get real

    2.7.2009 13:26 #27

  • yusky03

    He did not sell out. He does not get any of that money. That is how he set up TPB. So that he could not sell out. listen to this interview it explains it all...

    http://www.whatsnext.se/podcasts/podcast_peter%20sunde.mp3

    2.7.2009 13:28 #28

  • Jemborg

    I have to concur with Interestx's and especially Varnull's sentiments but I can also sympathise with xyqo's feelings.

    After the last appeal rejections I wondered what was gonna happen.

    "...imformation IS power..." Exactly why Socrates preached democracy would fail. Plebs in his opinion did not have the education and knowledge to make informed executive decisions about society's direction. So he was chucked in jail and executed, rightly, because the only point of view a democracy cannot tolerate is an anti-democratic one. Of course he did not envisage universal education and news media etc. He failed to see democracy as a work in progress- "perfection" doesn't enter into it.

    I will be sorry to see TPB go, but the battle is not over... and probably never will be.

    Its a lot easier being righteous than right.


    2.7.2009 14:36 #29

  • rrmk37

    I dont blame them at all.I would of sold it to for 7.8mill and just go start another one.Why are you all upset its not like in a week or two there wont be another one being pushed to the top again and so forth.I think you all are over reacting things will be normal again soon.How many sites are there still to down load from 100's it not 1000's n 1000's.

    2.7.2009 17:28 #30

  • EricCarr

    This is not about fighting for downloading illegal torrents. This is about money. The people at the TPB see the opportunity to make a shitload of $$$ and they are going to do it!

    2.7.2009 17:36 #31

  • adre02

    You guys are a bunch of dweebs. What were the supposed to do? Go to jail for all of your sorry a$$es? They provided a vehichle which each and every singe ONE OF US used and drove for years for FREE. They took it on the chin, legally, for a long a$$ time.

    You people are complete IDIOTS if you think they wouldn't sell their business and get something out of it at least. I bet each and every one of you would sell and get out now.

    3.7.2009 01:25 #32

  • mdt2009

    A fairytale:

    The naughty little pirates were happy as pigs in swill, looting and getting everything for free without any consequence because they were sailing on the good ship Pirate Bay. Oh yes, the little pirates were fat and joyous and gay (means HAPPY - look it up).

    But then one day the captains of the pirateship, who were going to get hung by the yard-arm of their ship by the nasty-bad Copyright Trading Company, decided that they were going to take the crazy pile of dubloons they had been offered, to avoid getting hung after having put their necks on the line for years and years, so that the fat, little pirates could have their fun for free.

    "Noooes!" the shrill cry went up from the little pirates - "Traitorxxz!" they squeeled. "We wantz our free stuffzxxorz - you are t3h ge1!" they clamored.

    They just could'nt understand how their PIRATE captains could do something so PIRATY just to save their own necks, when the little pirates really, really needed all their stuff for free and without ever having to fear for their own necks...how rude.

    The little pirates all agreed that they would NEVER have taken the money and scuttled the ship because THAT'S JUST NOT WHAT A PIRATE WOULD DO.

    To quote Jack Sparrow: "Pirate".

    If anything, this is exactly what any pirate (or anyone else) would have done in this situation: "Take what you want. Give nothing back."

    And you and I have gotten plenty over the years - scotfree, let's not forget.

    So quit whining into your biscuit and show some respect, ye scurvy dawgs.

    3.7.2009 04:16 #33

  • ChappyTTV

    Well said Varnull!

    These guys won't see a cent of this, can you imagine their legal bills of late?
    TPB owners have consistently stood up for all file share users for years, I can't blame them one bit for saying Enough is Enough. Lord knows that none of you who are screaming at them for this could do the same or last as long as they did with as much pressure as they were under.
    I give them credit for lasting THIS Long, I know I would've packed it in long ago if I were them. Yes, it's a sad day now that TPB is no more, but I think they can finally relax and enjoy their families and friends, and start enjoying life knowing they fought the Good Fight for ALL of us over the years.

    Thanx TPB!
    It was a good run boys, now it's time for someone else to take up the fight, and for you guys to sit back, have a beer, and know that you stood proud for all of us.

    3.7.2009 04:54 #34

  • borhan9

    Well this is not going to stop the traffic of users nor will it get the heat off their backs.

    3.7.2009 06:39 #35

  • golantrev

    TPB is still alive and kicking

    4.7.2009 13:44 #36

  • carp624

    i remember when this site " changed its format " By this site i mean afterdawn just to be clear. take the money and run boys.............

    8.7.2009 02:00 #37

  • Deznaj

    Respect, really???

    I would have accepted this surrender, however those TPB boys have always had the biggest mouths when it came to torrents/free information/anti-big companies/the justice system/other torrents sites they didn't agree with/etc.. Everybody was badmouthed and ridiculed, even it those people where just doing their jobs. And now they have stepped in a doo-doo and can't wipe their own shoe.

    By selling the Pirate Bay they have shown that it was all BS! That's why people are outraged, not because we lost one of the best torrent sites around!

    So anybody who wants to honour the TPB staff, instead of telling other people off go to Scandinavia and give them a nice long fanboy BJ. They will thank you with some nice green bills...

    8.7.2009 12:33 #38

  • Mez

    Deznaj, how much money did you give them? I would guess 0. What have you done for ‘the cause’? My guess is noting. Most that complain about anyone only giving 99% not 100% usually only give 1% themselves. That is the only way they can feel good about themselves is to criticize their betters. If so you are just an empty barrel. I would not go to jail to make a few ingrates satisfied. They did their piece.

    Probably, this is the beginning of an end of an era. I believe they were crusaders not mercenaries. The crusaders will start to give way to true mercenaries, the pay as you go news groups. I have nothing against newsgroups. It is just that many are strictly in it for the money. What is good about them is they will be intractable and provide an alternate source for goodies. I say intractable because they will have the funds. If the Bay charged even 10 dollars for membership. They could have bought their island and built their pirate isle. You have lots more choices went you have plenty of money.

    If I were them I would start working on improving the quality. Have their users do work for download credits. Provide returns for defective whatevers. Especially music would be worth at least double for tagged high quality lossy music free of artifacts and other imperfections.

    If those fools had so much trouble with the Bay they haven't a chance against the pay as you go news groups. They will be as hard to get rid of as a cock roach or drug dealers. Not only are they well funded but they have their own data cash. They will not have to rely on the generosity of others for their goodies. I am sure they have several copies of backups in different secure locations. Even if you shut them down and impound everything they will just start up a new one without skipping a beat.

    I am sure it will cost the RIAA a great deal of resources to bring them to justice, only to have a new one spring up the next day.
    Shutting down the Bay is only a feel good event for the certain groups. There are helping spawn their worst nightmare.

    13.7.2009 14:27 #39

  • Jemborg

    Mez, did you mean they are or they're "...helping spawn their worst nightmare"?

    Its a lot easier being righteous than right.


    19.7.2009 17:51 #40

  • Mez

    I do not consider them a nightmare but then they are not suing me. They actually did me a big favor. About a third of the artists I listen to I would have never found if the industry sold music at a fair price.

    20.7.2009 06:33 #41

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