Minecraft’s vast open worlds are part of the reason the game is such a huge draw, but their emptiness can sometimes leave players a little unsettled. This was exemplified by a Reddit post on January 5, 2024 by u/Mr. Christijn, who commented that he felt like he was constantly being watched while playing the game.
To your/Mr Christijn’s relief, many Minecraft players shared their own feelings of paranoia in the game’s voids. This is understandable, because even though Mojang has introduced many in-game mobs and structures to populate the game world, the game world is so vast that there are empty spaces where only the player lives. This can undoubtedly create a feeling of dread.
Minecraft fans discuss their paranoid feelings about empty spaces in their world
In the comments on U/Mr Christijn’s post, Minecraft fans retold their own stories of wandering around the world as if they were being watched around every corner. This was only amplified by players pointing out aspects of the game such as the endgame poem after defeating the Ender Dragon in Minecraft, which indicates that a creature is watching the player during their adventure.
Throw in the ambient sounds that arise while exploring caves, and it’s really no wonder Minecraft fans are looking over their shoulders while exploring. Even if they build huge buildings, towns and cities, some still feel that they have received notice of some other entity out there, leaving them to their own devices and observing their progress in the world.
Sure, Minecraft has traditional horror elements like creepers surprising players with exploding or places like the nether or deep dark biomes, but it’s the silence and emptiness that can create existential dread. What places the player character in their game world? Why did they do it? Are players simply the game of an entity that watches their every achievement and mistake?
It’s not surprising that Minecraft players are so busy in their game world, because roaming the empty parts of the vast area gives them plenty of time to think, and not always in a positive way. The game can certainly be relaxing and therapeutic, but taking a closer look at Minecraft’s lore and why players roam their worlds in the first place can be a little harrowing.
Redditor u/SirJackieStew pointed out in a comment that fear is inherent to the human condition. We have an irrational fear of the unknown, so we try to fill the void with known quantities, which translates into the game by building buildings and settlements as well as conquering the world’s many hostile mobs and bosses. It creates a sense of power and control where none actually exists.
All things considered, Mojang’s sandbox title is enjoyable and comforting, but there are moments that can get a little unnerving. Perhaps it’s best if players spend their time building, crafting, and exploring to keep the intrusive and intrusive thoughts at bay.