Minecraft players start petition, make art to protest yearly mob vote

It’s a Minecraft Every year, around Minecraft Live (a celebration of the voxel game), players login and vote to introduce a mob, or an enemy, into the game. The fearsome Warden or helpful Sniffer were voted in by fans the previous year. In 2023, however, there’s a sizeable protest over the mob vote. Fans don’t want to choose between the available options — they want it all, and they’ve created a fan union to protest their cause.

This year’s Minecraft Live vote comes down to one of three new critters: a crab, an armadillo, or a penguin. Each mob is associated with an exclusive utility. Crabs can be used as extendo-claws, which allow players to put bricks at a greater distance. The armadillo’s scute can be crafted into wolf armor, adding extra protection to a player’s furry friend. The cute penguin makes boats faster. Fans want to add all three options to the game, but choosing one means that you have to say no to the two other choices.

TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), as well as other social media platforms, in addition to English, are flooded with protests.

Holly Mavermorne who uses the name visualeyesmusic started a change.org petition to support this movement. She writes: “The Mob Vote generates engagement by tearing the community apart, leaving fantastic ideas on the cutting room floor, and teasing content that will never be seen in the game. […]The Mob Vote has been a source of discontent for many in the past. Fan favorites, such as Moobloom, were left out, while content creators encouraged their fanbases, to choose the least popular choice, for the purpose of shaming other voters. This shows that the mob vote is inherently flawed.”

This year’s vote is currently set to go live in two days, but fans are hoping Mojang hears their pleas before Minecraft Live on Oct. 15. Over 315,000 people have signed the change.org petition, and we’ll have to see if the movement leads to concrete results and more mobs in Minecraft.