Amazon's free game engine could legally run nuclear reactors during zombie attack

Amazon recently announced Lumberyard, a free game engine that the company hopes to monetize by introducing developers to its multiplayer services called GameLift. It's an interesting new addition to Amazon's core business of becoming the company from which you buy everything, and the terms of use include a few limitations.

But once the dead walk, all bets are off.

"Your use of the Lumberyard Materials must comply with the AWS Acceptable Use Policy," the official service terms state. "The Lumberyard Materials are not intended for use with life-critical or safety-critical systems, such as use in operation of medical equipment, automated transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, aircraft or air traffic control, nuclear facilities, manned spacecraft, or military use in connection with live combat."

That makes sense; this is technology designed for gaming. Amazon didn't design this stuff to make sure nuclear reactors stay safe. But, you ask, what if the remains of once-living human beings rise from their graves to prey upon the living?

Well then you can go ahead and run air-traffic control with Amazon's tech. But it has to be a confirmed case of zombie infestation. The government has to sign off on it.

"However, this restriction will not apply in the event of the occurrence (certified by the United States Centers for Disease Control or successor body) of a widespread viral infection transmitted via bites or contact with bodily fluids that causes human corpses to reanimate and seek to consume living human flesh, blood, brain or nerve tissue and is likely to result in the fall of organized civilization," the rules state.

This is helpful stuff, and is very caring on the part of Amazon. Computer-based infrastructure is likely to be one of the first things to go once the dead begin to really take over, so having Lumberyard available to aid in air-traffic control could save lives.