In recent years, the Minecraft event community has grown exponentially, leading to the creation of numerous new events and a variety of different rosters. This raises some important questions: is the Minecraft event community becoming too competitive for its own good? Or are there too many events that are getting pushed towards being for casual fun and socialising, rather than displays of skill?
We asked you, our readers, to tell us your thoughts – and we’ve gathered opinions from a range of event players, viewers, organisers, and playtesters.
DO PLAYERS REALLY CARE ABOUT WINNING?
At first glance, it seems like a no-brainer. Any player, especially in high-stakes environments, is often perceived as a fiercely competitive individual who would do anything to secure victory. However, when we dig deeper into the mindset of players, the situation becomes more complex.
“I don’t care about my final placement too much,” said zombreyy, an active member in the Minecraft event space. “I care about having a good time with friends or acquaintances and making content from said event.” This suggests that players are motivated by factors beyond the mere pursuit of a victory.
While winning is undeniably a key motivator for many players, it’s essential to recognise that not all players prioritise it in the same way. For some, the social aspects of gaming play a significant role, and having fun with friends and creating content can take precedence over the final outcome. “Often whenever the final game is finished, I’ll look at my placement as a player, make some sort of remark – be it good or bad – and move on,” BubblesTheFriend told us. “Often I care more about my team’s placement than my own, cause I love doing well together as a team!”
Additionally, some players may prioritise personal improvement or skill development over the idea of securing a victory.
“I play almost entirely for indiv, since I know that my teams are mostly for fun or lower strength,” said Birdboigames. “If I place low, it’s because I either haven’t practiced enough, or my setup has been nerfed.”
“I love watching myself improve as time goes by, seeing myself breaking limits of my skill,” said KOJX. “It always feels very good to be at the top.”
While it’s clear that some players are driven by the pursuit of victory, others find fulfillment in the social, personal, or creative aspects of gaming. However, this doesn’t mean that these motivations are mutually exclusive. Many players strike a balance where they can still enjoy the thrill of competition while valuing other experiences, such as team camaraderie, personal growth, or creating engaging content. “I want to do as well as I can when I play an event, however I do not mind if I place low,” Caracql told us. “I use events as a way to improve as a player and to display current skill, so I will play as well as I can without sacrificing my enjoyment of the event and team.”
DO PLAYERS PREFER SKILL-BASED OR CASUAL EVENTS?
When it comes to gaming events, players and viewers alike often have differing preferences regarding whether they prefer skill-based or casual competitions. For players, skill-based events are a chance to demonstrate their mastery of the game, hone their strategies, and test themselves against top-tier competition. For the viewers, it could be a good way to entertain themselves watching players do impressive feats in the competition. “I prefer competitive events, as I really like seeing skilled people play. There’s something really satisfying about it,” said Junethesnake.
However, casual and for-fun events have their own charm, often providing a welcome break from the high-stakes, intense atmosphere of skill-based tournaments. These types of events can offer a more relaxed and inclusive environment where players can engage without the pressure of performance or the fear of being eliminated early on.
Casual events often emphasise enjoyment and creativity over precision. Events might include fun minigames, team-based challenges, or quirky in-game modifications that don’t necessarily require high levels of skill but offer plenty of room for social interaction and unique experiences. As a result, participants can experiment with new strategies, try out different playstyles, or simply enjoy the company of others in a less competitive setting. “I love playing in events designed for socialising and fun because you can be yourself more often,” said zombreyy.
“From a player perspective, I prefer not being competitive, instead using the event to get to know people and have a fun time making content!” added Pandastra, the co-owner of event studio MCEventures. “From an organiser perspective, I find competitive events overwhelming. There’s a lot less pressure on everything being 100% balanced and fair when you take away that competitiveness and tell people to have fun instead.”
DO EVENTS HAVE TO BE PERFECTLY FAIR TO BE FUN?
In our survey, most players emphasised that fairness was a high, if not top priority for enjoying an event. Many mentioned the importance of balanced teams, while others focused on how bugs and rule violations could affect the fairness of scoring.
“Fairness matters a lot,” Caracql remarked. “Unfair points or bugs can result in losses or rankings that feel undeserved.”
“If a game or team is poorly balanced, it can make players feel powerless over their performance,” added Averyme, who playtests for various events. “It’s easier to accept a loss if you think others simply played better, but it’s hard to enjoy losing when it feels like the event itself is to blame.”
Averyme’s comment highlights that fairness extends beyond just team balance – it also involves point distribution and overall game design, a point echoed by tayluhautumn, the lead developer for the up-and-coming event Waffle Warriors. “Point balance and game design are crucial to me. For fairness, two things matter: can weaker players still do well, and can stronger players excel? A fair game has both.”
“I participated in an MCC Island event where one game had far too much weight,” said KOJX. “That game often determined who made it to the finale, which made it frustrating and unfair.”
Not everyone interprets what fairness means in the same way, and some may not mind imperfections. “Team balance doesn’t really affect my enjoyment,” MuddyPuddle shared. “If I know my team is likely to place low, it frees me up to just have fun. A positive, supportive team is more important to me than winning.”
Some players acknowledged the challenges event organisers face in maintaining fairness, and expressed understanding for inevitable imperfections. “When a great team dominates or a bug causes issues, I tend to think that these things just happen,” said BubblesTheFriendly. “You can’t predict every outcome, so a random issue doesn’t usually ruin my enjoyment.”
WHICH EVENTS HANDLE COMPETITIVENESS WELL?
Pandora’s Box was the most commonly mentioned event, receiving praise from players like Averyme. “For the more competitive side of things, I liked early Pandora’s Box. I liked how seriously it took itself and its teams. The developers were willing to experiment over and over to improve their games.”
“I know the people that run Pandora’s Box, and I love how much attention to detail they have for their competitive aspects of their events,” added Kaos21a, “Some of the innovations have been adopted by other events and it has been really cool to see.”
Another event mentioned was Fusion Frenzy, complimented for the way it has little-to-no RNG involved in its games, giving every team a fair chance at making the finale.
For events with a more for-fun approach, KST got a mention. “I remember watching Knights of the Square Table recently and being amazed that an event was actually willing to remove individual score,” Averyme said. “I know other events that have debated making the same decision for years, but KST did it and then leaned even further into the uncompetitiveness.“
JCGN NOVUS was also acknowledged, this time by Kaos21a. “I really enjoyed the JackCas Game Nights NOVUS I played in recently. I loved the small player amount and proximity chat, because of my non-competitive mindset going into the event I had a really good time!”
IN GENERAL, IS THE EVENT SPACE TOO COMPETITIVE OR NOT COMPETITIVE ENOUGH?
This question got massively varied answers. “I think it’s fine overall, but if it had to weigh on a scale it would lean to the too competitive side,” said ryry. “Some people – especially the good players’ viewers – take things way too seriously.”
Other people think the event space needs to be more competitive, because certain applicants often get rejected for being too highly skilled. “I get why it isn’t, but personally I wish it was more competitive. I get so many opportunities to be in events because I’m a well-known tier 3,” said DaniMilksops, “but it sucks when I try to get some of my friends in events, who are a ton better than me, and they aren’t able to join because they’re ‘too high skilled’.”
Some people think the current variety and balance of the event scene works well. “I think it’s competitive enough right now. As both a viewer of and participant in events, I think that the current balance is amazing,” Foksisgreat says. “It’s a perfect balance between competitiveness and having fun, which is what I think Minecraft events should be all about: inclusion. It doesn’t matter if you’re competitive or all about having fun, having a good mix of both in the event community is amazing, and I think we have that right now.”
“I think the Minecraft event scene is simply too confused,” steinbulf, the director of The Combat Court and staff member for Block Wars and KST, told us. “Events are constantly trying to appeal to both competitive and casual audiences, and it creates contradictions and impossible challenges when trying to balance both of those appeals. Each event should find its niche. It’s likely that no event with the same exact niche as MCC will be as successful as MCC. Because of that, events should look for new ways to grow an audience instead of just following the ‘Noxcrew Blueprint.’”
He goes on to suggest some ways for events to appeal to the intended audience. “If an event is going to be truly competitive, there should be a high standard of sportsmanship imposed on the players. There should also be no random aspects to the event, like MC Championship’s decision dome with the random moments of the chickens. However, if the event wants to be casual, they should go all out with those random, chaotic elements, even if it damages the event’s fairness.”
This suggests that a clear vision and a focused approach are crucial for any Minecraft event, and that events need to decide where their target audience is on the casual-to-competitive spectrum. An unclear focus could lead to confusion, and failure to meet expectations from either group.
CONCLUSION
The Minecraft event scene continues to evolve, with a growing divide between those who seek high-level competition and those who prioritise fun and social interaction. Community members are incredibly varied in their preferences, meaning there is a place for lots of different event styles and formats to emerge. This diversity is incredibly valuable to the health of the event space as a whole.
While players and organisers may have differing preferences, one thing is clear: the community thrives when events embrace their unique identities and cater to their specific audiences. Events must determine whether they want to showcase skill or create memorable, laid-back experiences – or some blend of the two – all while considering fairness and sportsmanship in their design. By doing so, they can ensure a dynamic and inclusive space for players and fans alike.
Of course, it’s not enough for event organisers to simply make these decisions – events also need to be marketed the right way to attract the intended audience. Potential players should know what to expect, so that they can make an informed choice about whether the event meets their needs, and thus whether they wish to participate. Having expectations set in advance can make a massive difference to the enjoyment of both players and their viewers.
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