Yes, the Vatican has its own Minecraft server. It is supposed to be particularly peaceful and focus on interpersonal relationships. Naturally, trolls won’t keep away.
Why does the Vatican have a Minecraft server? In September, Robert Ballecer, a former tech blogger, host of The Week in Tech, and Catholic priest, started a survey on Twitter. He asked his approximately 23,000 followers which game he should set up a few servers for in the Vatican. The result of the survey was:
- Minecraft – 64 %
- Team Fortress 2 – 22 %
- Rust – 7 %
- ARK – 6 %
That’s why they are now testing a Minecraft server in the Vatican.
What is the idea behind it? This server is supposed to be a place for people looking for a less toxic gaming environment. Ballecer explained to Rome Reports:
You can invite people who want to be creative and not toxic. And you create an environment where people can express themselves and build relationships. And the relationship aspect is the most important part. That’s ultimately what I want to do with the server.
It’s not about technology or gaming itself. It’s about bringing people together so they can possibly take those relationships into the real world. […]
Fr. Robert Ballecer to Rome Reports
How can you play there? The Minecraft server doesn’t have a fixed release date yet. However, there is something like a test server that you can join. To do this, enter the following target address in Minecraft: minecraft.digitaljesuit.com
It’s probably also not a problem on the server, if you play Minecraft completely wrong.
… and then the trolls came
What happened? Internationally, the news that the Vatican now has a Minecraft server was quickly spread. That’s a curious announcement. But precisely because so many people are interested, trolls are also lured out who want to disturb this “less toxic” atmosphere in the Vatican’s paradise.
On Twitter, Robert Ballecer quotes the news site VG247 and comments: “The trolls were already there to blow things up. But I also never expected it to be easy.”
Other Twitter users reply to him stating that there are various plugins that facilitate a rollback. So one could combat the trolls.
In the future, Minecraft will likely play a very large role:
