Minecraft server

A Minecraft server is a player-owned or business-owned multiplayer game server for the 2009 Mojang video game Minecraft. In this context, the term "server" often colloquially refers to a network of connected servers, rather than a single machine.[1] Players can start their own server either by setting one up on a computer using software provided by Mojang, or by using a hosting provider so they can have their server run on dedicated machines with guaranteed uptime.[2] The largest and most popular server is Hypixel.[3][4]

Minecraft multiplayer servers are guided by server operators, who have access to server commands such as setting the time of day and teleporting players. Operators can also set up plugins to change the mechanics of the server or add commands, among other features, and can also set up restrictions concerning which usernames or IP addresses are allowed or disallowed to enter the server.[2]

Multiplayer servers have a wide range of activities, with some servers having their own unique premises, rules, and customs. Player versus player combat (PvP) can be enabled to allow fighting between players. Many servers have custom plugins that allow actions that are not normally possible in the vanilla form of the game.

History

Multiplayer was first added to Minecraft on May 31, 2009, during the Classic phase of the game.[5] The oldest server map is called "Freedonia", in the Minecraft server MinecraftOnline. The server and map were created on August 4, 2010, within the first hour of Minecraft multiplayer being released.[6]

In 2013, Mojang announced Minecraft Realms, a server hosting service intended to enable players to run server multiplayer games easily and safely without having to set up their own.[7][8] Unlike a standard server, only invited players can join Realms servers, and these servers do not use IP addresses. At Electronic Entertainment Expo 2016, it was announced that Realms would enable Minecraft to support cross-platform play between Windows 10, iOS, and Android platforms starting in June 2016,[9] with other platforms releasing over the next two years.

In June 2014, Mojang began enforcing the EULA of the computer versions of the game to prevent servers from selling microtransactions that unfairly affected gameplay,[10] such as pay-to-win items,[11] only allowing servers to sell cosmetic items.[12] Many servers shut down due to this.[13]

On September 20, 2017, the Better Together Update was released for Bedrock codebase-derived editions of the game, which added multiplayer servers, along with five official featured servers: Mineplex, Lifeboat, CubeCraft, Mineville City and The Hive.[14]

Management

Managing a Minecraft server can be a full-time job for many server owners. Several large servers employ a staff of developers, managers, and artists.[13] As of 2014, the Shotbow server employed three full-time and five part-time employees. According to Matt Sundberg, the server's owner, "large server networks are incredibly expensive to run and are very time consuming [sic]."[15] According to Chad Dunbar, the founder of MCGamer, "it really costs to run networks above 1000 concurrent players." This includes salaries, hardware, bandwidth, and DDoS protection,[10] and so monthly expenses can cost thousands of dollars.[13] Dunbar stated that MCGamer, which has had over 50,000 daily players, has expenses that can be "well into the five-figure marks" per month. As of 2015, expenses of Hypixel, the largest server, are nearly $100,000 per month.[10] Many servers sell in-game ranks and cosmetics to pay for its expenses.[13][10]

Software

Vanilla server software provided by Mojang is maintained alongside client software. While servers must update to support features provided by new updates, many different kinds of modified server software exist. Modifications typically include optimizations, allowing more players to use a server simultaneously, or for larger portions of the world to be loaded at the same time. Modified software almost always acts as a base for plug-ins, which may be added and removed to customize server functionality. These are typically written in Java for the Java Edition, although JavaScript and PHP are used in some Bedrock Edition software. As the vanilla software for Bedrock is made compatible with only Ubuntu and Windows, modifications may allow for added compatibility. Notable plug-in software include Bukkit, Spigot, Paper and Sponge[16] for Java and Pocketmine-MP,[17] Altay and Jukebox[18] for Bedrock.

Vanilla and modified servers alike communicate with the client using a consistent protocol but may have vastly different internal mechanisms. Certain server software can allow for servers to be linked, allowing players to dynamically cross worlds without "signing out"; these include BungeeCord and Waterfall in Java and WaterDog and Nemisys for Bedrock. In a similar vein, due to close feature parity between up-to-date editions of the game, certain Java servers, such as DragonProxy, ProtocolSupport and Geyser may also communicate with both protocols, allowing Bedrock players to join.

Popularity

The most popular Java Edition server is Hypixel, which, released in April 2013, has had over 14 million unique players,[3][4] around half of all active players of the Java Edition itself.[19] Other popular servers include MCGamer, released in April 2012, which has over 3.5 million unique players;[20] Wynncraft, released in April 2013, which has over 1 million unique players;[21] and Emenbee, released in 2011, which also has over 1 million unique players.[22][23] As of 2014, servers such as Mineplex, Hypixel, Shotbow and HiveMC receive "well over a million unique users every month", according to Polygon.[11]

Notable servers

2b2t
Main article: 2b2t
2b2t's spawn region as of June 2019

2b2t, founded in December of 2010,[24] is the oldest anarchy server in Minecraft, which, in the context of the game, is a server with minimal to no moderation or rules.[25][26] It's map is also one of the longest-running unaltered server maps in the game.[27]

Autcraft
Main article: Autcraft

Autcraft is a Minecraft server dedicated to be a safe haven for children with autism.

Digital Jesuit

In 2019, Catholic priest and technology podcaster Robert Ballecer started an organized secular Minecraft server following a post he made on Twitter.[28] The aim was to provide a less toxic gaming environment. The server was immediately subject to DDoS attacks.[29][30][31]

Dream SMP
Main article: Dream (YouTuber) § Dream SMP

The Dream SMP server is a private Survival Multiplayer Minecraft server owned by the YouTuber Dream, started in May 2020. It is played on by Dream and other prominent Minecraft content creators, such as GeorgeNotFound, Sapnap, TommyInnit, WilburSoot, Tubbo_, and KarlJacobs. The server is divided into factions and includes heavy roleplay[32] with major events being loosely scripted in advance, most other elements being improvisation, performed live on YouTube and Twitch. Cecilia D'Anastasio, writing in Wired, described the Dream SMP as a form of live theatre and as a "Macchiavellian political drama", with over 1 million people tuning in to the livestreams during January 2021.[33]

Hypixel
Main article: Hypixel

Hypixel, Minecraft's most popular server, was founded in April 2013 by Simon Collins-Laflamme and Philippe Touchette.[10]

MinecraftOnline

MinecraftOnline (MCO) is the oldest running survival multiplayer Minecraft server, created by Eugene Hopkinson on August 4, 2010, and opened to the public after 2 days of testing. The world map has never been reset, making it the oldest running server map in the game.[34][35][36]

Mineplex
Main article: Mineplex

Mineplex was founded on January 24, 2013,[36] and is one of six servers officially partnered with Mojang.[37][38] In 2015, Mineplex held a Guinness World Record for the most popular minecraft server at the time.[39] The Dallas Mavericks partnered with the server in 2016 to create a minigame, Dallas Mavericks World, on the server, which released in the summer of 2016.[40][41][42][43]

The Uncensored Library
Main article: The Uncensored Library

The Uncensored Library is a Minecraft server and map released in 2020 by Reporters Without Borders and is an attempt to circumvent censorship in countries lacking freedom of the press.[44]

It has been featured in various media outlets such as the BBC,[44] DW News,[45] CNBC,[46] CNN,[47] Tech Crunch,[48] The Verge,[49] Gizmodo,[50] Engadget,[51] Mashable,[52] and PC Gamer.[53]

References
  1. "What are Hypixel Admins even working on?". Hypixel - Minecraft Server and Maps. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  2. Hutchinson, Lee (September 10, 2012). "Blocks with friends: How to run your own Minecraft server". Gaming & Culture. Ars Technica. pp. 1–4. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  3. Fogel, Stefanie (December 13, 2018). "Creators of Popular 'Minecraft' Server Announce New Game 'Hytale'". Gaming. Variety. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  4. Jarvey, Natalie (December 13, 2018). "Riot Games Leads Investment in Hypixel Game Studio". Tech. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  5. "Java Edition Classic 0.0.15a (Multiplayer Test 1)". Official Minecraft Wiki. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  6. Avard, Alex (September 27, 2017). ""Welcome to Freedonia": Minecraft's oldest server is still a mind-boggling menagerie of marvel and wonder". GamesRadar+. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  7. Crecente, Brian (March 18, 2013). "Minecraft Realms hopes to make an increasingly complex game more family-friendly". Polygon. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  8. Peel, Jeremy (March 14, 2013). "Minecraft Realms is a subscription service for families that will "bring in more money than the game itself"". PCGamesN. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  9. Frank, Allegra (June 13, 2016). "Minecraft gets cross-platform play later this year". Polygon. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  10. Macgregor, Jodie (December 20, 2018). "Hytale is a Minecraft follow-up that remembers the minigames". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  11. Campbell, Colin (June 18, 2014). "Why some fans are battling with Notch over Minecraft changes". Polygon. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  12. Savage, Phil (June 18, 2014). "Why Minecraft's new EULA is good for the game". PC Gamer. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  13. Guthrie, Robert (December 21, 2016). "The Uncertain Future of Minecraft's Independent Servers". Kotaku. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  14. Shieber, Johnathan (June 11, 2017). "Minecraft is now available for cross-play on any device". TechCrunch. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  15. Marinconz, Steve (June 17, 2014). "Why People Are Mad About Minecraft's New Changes". Kotaku. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  16. "What is Spigot? CraftBukkit? Bukkit? Vanilla? Forg | SpigotMC - High Performance Minecraft". www.spigotmc.org. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  17. "NukkitX". NukkitX (C++).
  18. "Bedrock Edition server software". Minecraft Wiki. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  19. Ariyasinghe, Pulasthi (April 3, 2019). "Minecraft Java Edition on PC has now sold over 30 million copies". Microsoft. Neowin. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  20. Wiltshire, Alex (September 15, 2015). "The Future Of Minecraft's Biggest Servers". Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
  21. Velasco, Carl (May 22, 2017). "A Game Within A Game: 'Wynncraft' Is An MMORPG Inside 'Minecraft'". Culture. Tech Times.
  22. Yin-Poole, Wesley (March 23, 2019). "Minecraft players write touching tributes on in-game signs for "amazing" server owner who died of cancer". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  23. Horti, Samuel (March 24, 2019). "Minecraft players build touching tribute to server owner who died of cancer". News. PC Gamer. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  24. "2b2t.org". web.archive.org. March 18, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  25. Kiberd, Roisin (September 23, 2016). "There's an alternative Minecraft server without any rules". Indy/Life. The Independent. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  26. Kiberd, Roisin (September 15, 2016). "The Minecraft Server That Will Kill You 1,000 Times". Newsweek. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  27. Paul, Andrew (October 5, 2015). "The Worst Place in Minecraft". Vice. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  28. "https://twitter.com/padresj/status/1167941336219045888". Twitter. Retrieved October 5, 2020. External link in |title= (help)
  29. Meisenzahl, Mary (December 5, 2019). "The Vatican started a 'Minecraft' server and it was immediately attacked, according to the priest that set it up". Business Insider. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  30. Macgregor, Jody (December 3, 2019). "The Vatican's Minecraft server is overwhelmed by demand and DDoS attacks". PC Gamer. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  31. "Minecraft trolls target Vatican server with DDoS attacks". Metro. December 4, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  32. Arsach, Steven (January 25, 2021). "Minecraft's top streamers are taking over the internet with their exclusive roleplaying server called Dream SMP". Insider. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  33. D'Anastasio, Cecilia (January 12, 2021). "In Minecraft's Dream SMP, All the Server's a Stage". Wired. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  34. Avard, Alex (September 27, 2017). ""Welcome to Freedonia": Minecraft's oldest server is still a mind-boggling menagerie of marvel and wonder". GamesRadar+. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  35. Peng, Mei (October 19, 2019). "4 Oldest Minecraft Servers and Why They Matter". Celebs Pulse. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  36. "7 Oldest Minecraft Servers". oldest.org. February 22, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  37. Campbell, Colin (June 11, 2017). "Minecraft is going totally cross-platform". Polygon. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  38. James, Ford (June 11, 2017). "Mojang to partner up with popular Minecraft servers". News. Gamereactor.
  39. Guinness World Records 2016: Gamer's Edition. Macmillan. p. 115.
  40. Schlosser, Kurt (May 24, 2016). "Mark Cuban calls Minecraft 'intellectually engaging' as his NBA team creates new game with Mineplex". GeekWire.
  41. Akopyan, Manouk (May 1, 2016). "Mark Cuban Explains Why The Mavericks Are Mashing Up With 'Minecraft'". AListDaily. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  42. Humphrey, David (May 19, 2016). "Dallas Mavericks joining computer games world in Minecraft". Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  43. Wermuth, Adam (May 18, 2016). "Dallas Mavs Partner With Minecraft Server to Engage a new Generation of Basketball Fans". Dallas Mavericks. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  44. "Minecraft 'loophole' library of banned journalism". BBC. March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  45. "Reporter Without Borders builds uncensored Minecraft library". DW News. March 12, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  46. "Reporters Without Borders is using Minecraft to sneak censored news to readers in restrictive countries". CNBC. March 15, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  47. "Minecraft hosts uncensored library full of banned journalism". CNN. March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  48. "Reporters Without Borders uses Minecraft to sneak censored works across borders". Tech Crunch. March 12, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  49. "This Minecraft library is making censored journalism accessible all over the world". The Verge. March 18, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  50. "This Minecraft Library Provides a Platform for Censored Journalists". Gizmodo. March 12, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  51. "'Minecraft' library helps you dodge news media censorship". Engadget. March 15, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  52. "This 'Minecraft' library safeguards all censored news of the world". Mashable. March 18, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
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Further reading
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