With a steam backlog of shame large enough to purchase multiple steam decks, I always come back to Minecraft. Whether it’s an interesting new biome, some over the top shader or resource pack, or a modpack filled to the brim with every possible choice I could ever make, the game for me is more than nostalgia - it’s something NEW every time.
One thing about Minecraft that keeps me coming back is it has content for any mood — whether that mood is “kill all the things!”, “build all the things!”, let’s go exploring, or let’s build a TNT trap in our friend’s house. Not that I would ever do that last one, and anyone who says otherwise is not to be trusted. Moreover, Mojang and then Microsoft have done an amazing job keeping the game fresh for 15+ years with annual+ content releases. I cannot wait to dive into the new biome in Minecraft, the Pale Garden because I LOVE creepy, and what’s more creepy than eyeblossoms or a creaking heart? The new Pale Oak Wood Set is GORGEOUS, and it’s already sparking Minecraft building ideas in me with the pale moss hanging on the outer walls.
On top of the vast content options in base Minecraft, there is entire world of free user generated content out there that makes it feel like playing a whole new game each time I come back. I’ve found I really enjoy modpacks that give me more colors and more options for architecture, and this might be my neurodivergence speaking, but I LOVE building fancy storage rooms to organize all my stuff. When I play with friends, I think it’s fun to join up to complete quest books that unlock more content, help them build a rocket to the moon, and ponder our friendship when I see them kidnapping villagers. I believe the UGC communities are a reason why games like Minecraft stay successful after so many years — benefitting games and gamers alike — and every Minecraft modder deserves a stadium of applause for the gifts they provide to the community largely for free out of sheer love of the game;
If it isn’t modpacks pulling me back in, I can’t tell you how many times a Youtube video has made me go “wait, what is that Minecraft shader and where can I download it!?!”. And then once I’ve downloaded this new great shader, I clearly have to go find the perfect Minecraft resource pack. And now that I’m writing this, I clearly have to go find something new and fancy to use during this season of my Minecraft obsession. With the right resource packs and shaders, you can make Minecraft look anywhere from hyper-realistic to silly to absolutely cursed, and I think this adds to the depth of how “new” each of my Minecraft seasons have felt.
I can count on one hand the games that have this type of hold on me, and I know I’m not alone because I drag my friends back in with me each time. I think that’s probably the main reason I keep coming back to Minecraft - community. The memories I’ve made with friends (and internet strangers), and the memories I know I will make along the way are what will always keep me coming back to Minecraft.