Minecraft is introducing a new update that lets players mute chat from others when playing multiplayer. Recent weeks have been big for the beloved block builder; player character Steve's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate turned a lot of heads, even though his unique moveset has caused a few problems with pre-existing stages in the game.
While Steve thrives on the Smash circuit, his game of origin remains a titan in the video game industry. Minecraft is still the single best-selling game of all time, and it's easy to see why. The sheer breadth of options the game gives players allow for creativity on a nigh-unprecedented scale. The upcoming Caves & Cliffs update will further broaden players' horizons in exciting new ways. Another major factor of the game's success is its multiplayer; the open-ended nature of the game combined with the indomitable creativity of the internet means there's an almost limitless number of player-made servers ready for fans to jump in and explore.
Of course, the vast freedom of the internet isn't always a good thing. Numerous online communities are known for their high levels of toxicity and harassment. Perhaps for this reason, Mojang is introducing a new update that will give players more control over their interaction experience online. As described by a tech lead on Reddit, the update introduces a new UI element called the social interactions screen. This screen will allow users to disable chatting with whoever they want on whatever server they're on. Every message from the muted player will be automatically hidden, which will hopefully grant the user a more peaceful and tolerant Minecraft experience. The setting does reset whenever the user re-joins a server, so players should be prepared to mute people multiple times.
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This update will surely spare players some sanity, letting them tune out needlessly hateful gamers and go about their business un-harassed. But it's also important for children. Last year Minecraft was named as a top platform that child predators use to prey on kids. With careful parent supervision, and the help of this new social interactions screen, unsavory characters can be filtered out without disrupting the play experience too much for kids. It's far from a perfect solution to such a serious issue, but it is a great first step.
It's commendable how committed the Minecraft team is to creating a safe and tolerant space online. This is especially true given the toxic behavior of the game's disgraced creator Notch, whose name was stricken from the game last year. Mojang has been working hard to ensure that its game's legacy is as untarnished as possible, and it shows. Hopefully this is just the first step in the process of making Minecraft a safer, more tolerant place for gamers of all ages.
Source: Minecraft Java Tech Lead