I got my copy back in May 2011. I think the only thing that pisses me off that's related to its popularity was it being sold and sold again, and so when I wanted to start playing with my children, I had to re-buy the game. I transferred from minecraft to Mojang, but didn't do Mojang to Microsoft, and so that was that.

Beyond that, I'm 37 and have two kids and I don't really know if it's popular and what the community is like, I just play with my kids, and they're scared of endermen, so it's fun.

Since 2011 for me too. I sometimes step away for half a year at a time, but I always end up back.

As much as the modern image of Minecraft might be obnoxiously shouty youtube shorts, that's not all there is to it.

You have the groups of talented builders recreating the Lord of the Rings world of Middle Earth at 1:1 scale, and then the crazy redstoners building fully working computers inside the game.

Minecraft has always been for everyone, and I hope it always will be.

God yes. I was one of the first people to buy it. Back when you had to send Notch himself five bucks to play it. I was interested in the concept, but frankly didn’t think it would have much appeal beyond people who enjoy completely self-guided experiences with no set goals.

How wrong I was.

It’s been wild seeing it rise to the top of the pop culture heap, become popular with 12 year olds and eventually result in me seeing a movie starring Jack Black based on it.

It’s wild that it started with me and a handful of guys sending Notch a fiver.

started in 2012, played with friends on a shitty server i ran on an old Dell with Ubuntu on it, years of goofy fun

every few months i reinstall, load it up, and go "what the FUCK is THAT!?" to a "new" mob/biome/etc. lol

frogs still jumpscare me

still keep trying to place torches 13 blocks apart before remembering spawning is light level >1 now lmao