Why are there so many arguments on the internet? When you open your feed, it likely wouldn’t take very much scrolling for you to find a post expressing an opinion, followed by a thread of (sometimes rather aggressive) comments from people who disagree. Respect for the other party never lasts for long in these threads and insults cross our screens far sooner than apologies. The inconsequential anonymous nature of the internet is certainly a leading factor, but it’s not the end of the story.
Take a look at the best-selling video game in history– Minecraft– and one of the most iconic franchises since the 90’s, Pokémon. Whenever a new update or installation to either of these video games is released, their massive forums explode with commentary. Contrary to the excitement you’d expect from these megafans, critical voices seem to rise just as loud as appreciation. Minecraft’s most recent additions are a great example.
Minecraft, despite its age nearing the 15 year mark, continues to gain update after update. 2025 alone offered four minor updates modifying different elements of the game. Between updated mob textures, the addition of the “happy ghast” to help players build with less obstacles, the underground battle structure known as the Trial Chamber, and various quality of life additions like the ability to craft saddles and nametags, it would seem like players of all types would be satisfied with at least one of these features. Skimming through reddit forums and critic pages would imply the opposite– that these updates appeal to nobody.
The latest controversy about the blocky game centers around the announcement of “baby” variants of existing animals. While baby animals already existed in Minecraft, this update gives them unique textures that separate them from their adult counterparts– and a plethora of users claim that this change completely ruins the spirit of the game or is otherwise “pointless”. There are several posts on these forums stating phrases like “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and at least one user who says that this update is their “final straw” and that they’re never going to play Minecraft again.
Though it’s easy to judge these users, their strong emotions ultimately stem from their love for Minecraft and a desire to see their long-awaited features finally implemented into the game. There are several elements, like the End Dimension, that are lacking in new content in comparison to the flourishing overworld the player spends most of their time in. A comment on the internet removes all tone and nuance from a statement unless the poster goes out of their way to clarify. This encourages arguments tenfold– it’s easy to tumble into the pitfall of black-and-white thinking, where you either love every update or hate the new era in its entirety, while engaging with people online.
Nowhere is this phenomenon more prevalent than in Pokémon’s corner of the internet. This fandom is also massive– the Pokémon subreddit is closing in on the five million member mark– and in a similar fashion to Minecraft, players are very eager to express their opinions.
Pokémon games are split into “generations,” where the beginning of a new generation is marked by a mainline game that’s not a remake or variant of a previous installment. For example, they are currently in the 9th generation that began with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and also encompasses the most recent game, Pokémon Legends Z-A, which is a sequel to the older titles X and Y. Lots of numbers and letters, huh? What’s important here is that many Pokémon fans believe that generation 6 was the beginning of a downturn in the quality of the games.
Generation 6, importantly, marked the transition from 2D to 3D. Perhaps you have seen the most common criticism about the newer games, where users will post screenshots of unrendered, flat textures or indistinguishable green blurs that are meant to be treetops– that is a new problem that came with the implementation of 3D graphics into Pokémon games.
While many argue that this change is unnecessary or poorly managed, it also made room for Pokémon to overhaul its battling and catching systems entirely. Encountering Pokémon in the overworld and maneuvering your own character through the open worlds is something that only the 3D experience can offer. Of course, graphics are far from the only criticism players have about the new generations – we would be here for days if we took time to analyze each one – which brings us back to the Minecraft point. Are these players unsatisfiable or just expressing their tough love for their favorite game series?
Sometimes it feels like every fan of these massive franchises falls into one of two camps– those who are unsatisfiable unless their precise wishlist is met to a T, or those who praise every new change without regard for the actual quality of what’s being produced (“glazing”, as the internet would say). The reality is that there’s room for much more productive discussion if we avoid leaping into sorting people into categories and assigning insults to them. At the end of the day, all parties are following the subreddits and discussion pages because they adore the media, even if they don’t agree with every decision the developers make.
Next time you’re online and feel a spark of anger at a group expressing an opinion that contradicts yours, remember that it’s only a video game and everybody on those threads only wants the best for one of their favorite franchises. When we are passionate about something, we feel the urge to fight for it– which can be done in tandem with acknowledging our shared love for the game and its growth, rather than leaping straight into argument mode.
WRITTEN BY: Daryan Cem, Empowerteen Editorials Journalism Intern
What do you think about internet controversy regarding Minecraft, Pokémon, or other favorite video games?
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