Minecraft: Is it Back in Style?

By Alexandria Goodman ’25

​On Nov. 18, 2011, Minecraft was fully released to the general public. It has generated massive success with nearly 140 million monthly active players and selling over 300 million copies, making it the bestselling video game in history. In Minecraft, players can play in a three-dimensional world with infinite terrain. ​

They can build houses, craft tools, and, of course, mine ores. The game has multiple modes: survival mode, creator mode, spectator mode, adventure mode, and hardcore mode. During the pandemic, Minecraft saw an uptick in popularity, with famous YouTubers like Dream, TommyInnit, and Quackity dedicating their entire channels to playing the game. Our very campus has a group of students with their own Minecraft server. The admin of the server, Wills Erda ’24, created this hub because he wanted to “create a way for students to take a break from the busy lives of Westminster.” This server has a transportation system in the Nether, a hell-like dimension in the game, housing complexes, and even a monster farm, where players can increase their XP level. I think the game's popularity is due to its inherently relaxing nature.
 
While people can choose challenging game modes, most choose to play in an easy or another low-stakes game mode. Most decide to collect farm animals and build structures instead of fighting monsters or killing the Ender Dragon. On YouTube, the search “Minecraft builds” will give you an almost infinite number of Minecraft houses, each with its own flair. Some people chose to build simple houses, while others might take on a more extensive build, like the Hogwarts campus; however, there are Minecrafters who challenge themselves by playing on difficult levels. These players want to beat the game, some even going as far as to speedrun the game. In specific online communities, people compete to see who can beat the game the fastest. I spoke to Kimi Weng ’24 about his Minecraft playing style, and he said the following: “For me, I get as many resources as possible, max out all my tools and armor, and then beat the game.” In the shared server, Kimi built an XP farm and has been donating ore and other resources to other players that need help.
 
As a Minecrafter, I can confidently say that it is back in style. For the last month, I have been working on multiple game projects and collecting resources to beat the Ender Dragon. If you aren’t on the Minecraft train, I suggest you hop on.