September 1st, 2022, The Future of CubeCraft Java is posted, detailing massive changes coming to the Java Network effective September 5th, including the deletion of multiple gamemodes and maps across the network. Along with it the conditions which had to be met for the Java Network to continue to exist:
At this time, Java needs to grow beyond 1,000 players or we will need to close it.
An unexpected notice that surely took many players by surprise. This thread, alike the prior Big Changes (see what I did there?) to Java certainly gave birth to some controversy, and even saw feelings of anger, sadness and disappointment. However, not everything was lost, since the thread implied big plans were on their way, perhaps to delay the day CubeCraft's leadership had to sit down and take a decision on the matter.
This is sad news but rather than come to you today to tell you we are closing Java, we are here instead to unveil some of our big plans to deliver amazing experiences to even more players, to inspire them like I was way back in 2014.
However, as you go back and read the statement again you cannot help but wonder, well... September 1st, 2022 wasn't the day we were told Java is closing, but... when will THAT day come? will it come at all? or will we be stuck in a limbo for years on end concerned about the underlying threat of our beloved network's deletion?
We are at a point where trying to find the answers to these questions is extremely confusing, the Java network is certainly not hitting the 1k player benchmark that was told would be a necessity, yet it is STILL receiving consistent updates and content overhauls.
And to add even more factors into our soup of uncertainty, CubeCraft's community strategy seems to have shifted massively from what was established in THIS thread by @Zed from two years ago, where a solid Community & Volunteering Team was set in place, out of which, only 1 member remains. And not a single update thread regarding the big thing that matters the MOST, CubeCraft's relationship with the community, has been posted since, community talks seem to be a distant memory of the past, and responses from the admin team on threads has become a rare delicacy few are ever lucky enough to experience, and what once felt like a company who had finally understood the importance of community, seems to have once again drifted apart from it.
All of this has led me to believe that I cannot be the only player who can't help but feel a little anxious and sad not knowing about the direction CubeCraft wants to take, I am sure a big part of the community would appreciate setting some ground rules and priorities once again, just how Cube has done in its many years of existence.
There are three important messages that I hope to communicate as I end this thread:
- If you agree with the points I have exposed in this thread, I encourage you to join me in positively pressuring CubeCraft's leadership to provide the community with a snapshot of the network's status, overall direction, and perhaps making some commitments to not allow this communicational divide to grow bigger.
- I encourage the Bedrock community (of whose network I'm unfortunately too ignorant to have opinions of) to resonate this message within their own struggles as well, for I am sure Bedrock could also benefit from more direct and participative communication.
- I canot end this thread without emphasizing the importance of keeping conversations and feedback civil and constructive, for we all share a common passion for this place, and working together is always better than unnecessary conflict.