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Skyblock

Skyblock is a downloadable world and minigame in the sandbox video game Minecraft.[1] The original world consists of a small island floating in the air, on which a player must survive on,[2] although the gameplay and rules may vary.[3] It was originally created by a user named Noobcrew on September 4, 2011[dubious – discuss] [4]

Gameplay

In the original Skyblock, you spawn on a tiny L-shaped dirt island suspended in the sky, populated with just one oak tree and a lone chest. The player is given a limited amount of materials that must be strategically used with the main goal of surviving, expanding the island, completing challenges,[5] obtaining food, and continuing to stay alive. There is no end goal with Skyblock and the player is left with their imagination and creativity to turn their small patch of dirt into whatever they can dream of. [3]

History

According to skyblock.net, Skyblock and all of its original versions (version 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, and 2.1) has been downloaded over 12.3 million times.[6]

The popular YouTuber CaptainSparklez produced one of the first video series of Skyblock on October 2, 2011 just 29 days after Skyblock's release.[7]

Variations of Skyblock have been created on several Minecraft servers, such as Hypixel,[8] the most popular server in the game.[9] Skyblock on Hypixel was released on June 11th, 2019.[10]

On September 24th, 2024, Noobcrew posted a public statement regarding their legal issues with Microsoft and various Minecraft Marketplace related companies since 2019-2020. Noobcrew claims that he tried to stop the commercialization of "Skyblock" branded products within the Minecraft Marketplace without his permission. Despite being the original creator and having provided Skyblock for free on his platform since 2011, the involved companies are attempting to invalidate his intellectual property rights. Noobcrew describes how some of the companies have provided Skyblock products for purchase, often labeling them as "Skyblock" directly with no secondary meaning, or names such as "Original Skyblock", and have generated substantial revenues from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Despite backlash from the Minecraft community in favor of Noobcrew, the situation seems to be on-going as of April 2025. [11]

Clones

Similar clones of Skyblock were created in other video games such as Roblox and Fortnite.

On July 14th, 2020, Skyblock was created as a minigame in Roblox, which become among the most popular games on the platform, with over 40,000 players. After a DMCA request by Noobcrew, however, the game was shut down due to copyright issues. The developer, Easy Games, had changed the game's name to "Islands" and was allowed to continue to operate.[12]

Additionally, on November 22nd, 2023, Skyblock was re-created as an island on Fortnite, and achieved over 20,000 players. Due to a DMCA request by Noobcrew, the game was shut down temporarily and later changed to "Block Tycoon".[13]

References

  1. ^ Carnes, Adrian (2021-10-22). "How to play Minecraft Skyblock". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
  2. ^ Pugatschew, Rhys (April 22, 2018). "5 Best Minecraft Servers: Mineplex & More (Updated!)". Heavy.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  3. ^ a b LeBlanc, Wesley (July 16, 2019). "Minecraft: How to Play Skyblock on Xbox One". Twinfinite. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  4. ^ "[Surv] Skyblock - Maps - Mapping and Modding: Java Edition - Minecraft Forum - Minecraft Forum". www.minecraftforum.net. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  5. ^ "Home | Skyblock Official Site". skyblock.net. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  6. ^ "Home | Skyblock Official Site". skyblock.net. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  7. ^ "Home | Skyblock Official Site". skyblock.net. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  8. ^ Toms, Ollie (July 20, 2020). "Best Minecraft servers 1.16.1 - Survival, Skyblock, Factions, and more". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  9. ^ "Riot Games Leads Investment in Hypixel Game Studio". The Hollywood Reporter. December 13, 2018. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  10. ^ "New Prototype Game - Hypixel SkyBlock". Hypixel Forums. 2019-06-11. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  11. ^ "Home | Skyblock Official Site". skyblock.net. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  12. ^ "Home | Skyblock Official Site". skyblock.net. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  13. ^ "Home | Skyblock Official Site". skyblock.net. Retrieved 2025-03-15.