What Happened to Mineplex? Is Mineplex Shutting Down?
by Sakthi
Updated May 16, 2023
Is Mineplex Down Right Now?
Mineplex, a Minecraft minigame server, was one of the official partners of Mojang Studios, the developers of Minecraft. From mid-2016 to October 2020, Mineplex boasted millions of unique players on a monthly basis. During its prime, the server consistently hosted around 20,000 players concurrently, reaching a pinnacle on January 28, 2015, when it set a Guinness World Records record with 34,434 concurrent players—the highest at that time for a Minecraft server.
In the Guinness World Records 2016: Gamers Edition, Mineplex was recognized as the most popular Minecraft server network, having achieved a record-breaking player count on January 28, 2015. However, this record was later surpassed by Hypixel in the same year.
Since its peak years, Mineplex's popularity has experienced a significant decline, and currently, its Java Edition server averages around 20 players online simultaneously, while its Bedrock Edition counterpart sees an average of 4,000+ players. Given these circumstances, many players are curious about what happened to Mineplex. Let's delve into an analysis of the situation.
What Happened to Mineplex?
Mineplex, once hailed as the epitome of Minecraft servers and an integral part of the game's early success, has faced a tumultuous journey. It was once the go-to community-run multiplayer server for Minecraft, sharing its name with the game itself.
Its pinnacle was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records in early 2015 when it achieved a staggering simultaneous player count of 43,033. However, shortly after setting that record, Mineplex's player numbers took a nosedive, staff members departed en masse, and they lost their record to Hypixel in the same year. So, what exactly happened?
As of May 16, 2023, Mineplex has ceased its operations. The server, founded and created on January 24, 2013, by Gregory Bylos and known in the Minecraft community as "Sterling_" and "Spu_," respectively, stood as one of the oldest active Minecraft servers until its closure in May 2023.
The server experienced significant player surges when YouTuber Captain Sparklez became part of the ownership team and showcased the server in his videos. In June 2015, Mineplex broke the record for the most concurrent players online with 43,033 players.
Additionally, in 2016, Mineplex partnered with the Dallas Mavericks to create "Dallas Mavericks World," a Minecraft minigame within the server that allowed players to engage in building competitions and a basketball minigame set in a replica of the American Airlines Centre. However, this venture ultimately failed due to issues stemming from Mineplex's partnership with Mojang Studios.
It's important to note that the information provided requires verified confirmation from the developers. As of now, there has been no official announcement from the developers stating that Mineplex has ceased operations.
Is Mineplex Shutting Down?
As of May 12, 2023, Mineplex experienced an unexpected outage, with both its website and Minecraft servers becoming inaccessible. On May 15, 2023, Mineplex was removed from the featured server listing on Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.
Despite these events, there was no official notice from Mineplex staff regarding a potential shutdown. However, an administrator from Mineplex made an announcement on the Mineplex Discord server, raising speculation about the server's future.
It's important to note that the information provided requires verified confirmation from the developers. Currently, there has been no official announcement from the developers indicating that Mineplex has ceased operations.
However, it is worth mentioning that the official Mineplex website is not currently accessible, and updates on their Twitter page have stopped since November 22, 2022.
Most Famous Minecraft Servers
Take a closer look at the top five Minecraft servers in 2023.
Top Free Minecraft Servers (2023)
Brawl
Java Server Address: brawl.com
Our first Minecraft server offers an array of exclusive mods, plugins, and textures. Unlike many other online servers that rely on community moderators, Brawl takes pride in its unique content that cannot be found elsewhere. Prepare yourself for thrilling games such as Capture the Flag, raids, and even zombie survival.
Moreover, Brawl provides a dedicated creative mode equipped with all the tools you need to construct your next masterpiece. Additionally, they offer a party zone where you can enjoy quick and exciting mini-games.
Hypixel: The Ultimate Minecraft Server
Java Server Address: mc.hypixel.net
If you want to become part of a constantly growing community, look no further than the world's largest Minecraft server. Hypixel offers weekly tournaments, regularly updated content, and endless possibilities to explore. With exclusive maps, purchasable items, and a vibrant community, Hypixel feels like an independent game based on Minecraft.
Whether you're into bedwars, murder mysteries, vampires, or paintball, this server has a wide range of fun-filled Minecraft mini-games. And if that's not enough, you can explore numerous customized Minecraft biomes.
Among Us Performium
Java Server Address: amongus.performium.net
This Minecraft server pays tribute to one of the most talked-about games of the pandemic era, Among Us. Despite the decline in the game's popularity, the player count on this server proves that its charm hasn't faded. Alongside a mode inspired by Among Us, you'll find a variety of survival, creative, and mini-game modes.
Even if you don't have a group of friends to play with, you can still enjoy a wide selection of engaging single-player competitive community games.
MineHeroes
Java Server Address: play.mineheroes.org
Bedrock Server Address: play.mineheroes.org
Next on our list of the best Minecraft servers is one of the rare servers compatible with both the Bedrock and Java editions of the game. What sets this server apart is its regular release of custom Minecraft maps that leave players in awe. In addition to these maps, you'll find multiple game modes to choose from, including prison and survival.
If roleplay isn't your cup of tea, MineHeroes offers a unique world filled with structures, sky blocks, and peculiar creatures waiting to be explored. You can also enhance your gameplay by purchasing in-game items from their store, unlocking exclusive experiences.
Pixelmon on PocketPixel
Java Server Address: Play.PocketPixels.net
Pixelmon Craft is a story-based server where you can embark on your own adventure. Similar to the original Pokemon games, you have the opportunity to capture and battle Pokemon. Meet iconic characters like Ash's mother and the professor as you interact with Pokemon enthusiasts from around the world.
Aside from the online server, Pixelmon is also one of the best Minecraft mods if you prefer offline play. Furthermore, the Pokemon on this server is not in the generic Minecraft block form, making them easily recognizable.
Mineplex Discord
Discord is a communication platform designed for users to exchange text, images, videos, and audio messages. While primarily intended for gamers as a means of real-time communication during multiplayer gaming, Discord also finds utility in other fields and professions.
On Discord, users can create servers, referred to as "Discords," that revolve around specific topics or games. Within these servers, multiple channels can be established to facilitate discussions on various subtopics. The Mineplex Discord server (discord.mineplex.com or discord.gg/mineplex) serves as the official Discord server for Mineplex
It was established on January 20, 2018, made public on February 26 of the same year, and has since amassed approximately 54,000 members. Users on this server can propose new ideas for Mineplex, offer feedback, or simply engage in casual conversations with friends. The Mineplex Discord server replaced the previous Mineplex TeamSpeak server, which was shut down in May 2018.
Prior to the creation of the official Mineplex Discord server, an unofficial server called the "Unofficial Mineplex Community Discord" was established by Harvvey, a former staff member. This server boasted over 1,200 members, remained active for precisely 444 days, and offered additional features not found on the official server. These included the ability for users to display their in-game rank and Mineplex level in the chat, access to bots, and a designated channel for staff requests.
Minecraft Bedrock
Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, also known as "Minecraft" on most platforms, encompasses the multi-platform versions of Minecraft that have been developed by Mojang Studios, Xbox Game Studios, and SkyBox Labs. These versions are based on the Bedrock codebase.
The term "Bedrock Edition" originates from the Bedrock codebase, which was specifically designed in the C++ programming language to support platforms that are incompatible with Java. The codebase includes platform-specific modifications related to networking, storage access, and other necessary functionalities, with approximately 90% of the code shared across all platforms. This shared core of functionality is referred to as the "Bedrock Engine."
The Bedrock codebase is managed within a software system that oversees the code components and tracks their development over time. This allows the codebase to accommodate current and past versions of Minecraft, as well as the standalone Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS) versions and multiple beta versions, all without conflicts.
To make Bedrock Edition available for download, individual builds for each target platform are created and then submitted to the respective app stores. Each app store has its own compliance requirements and conducts a series of certification tests before making the edition available. While Xbox Game Studios aims to synchronize the availability of Bedrock Edition across stores, the certification process is not within their direct control, and delays can occur if an edition fails certification and requires fixes from the developers.
The Bedrock codebase is utilized for various Minecraft-related projects, including Minecraft Education, China Edition, Minecraft Dungeons, and Minecraft Legends. Additionally, it was employed for discontinued editions like the Pi Edition, the New Nintendo 3DS Edition, and Minecraft Earth.
What Happened To Mineplex: FAQs
Minecraft: Bedrock Edition refers to the multi-platform versions of Minecraft developed by Mojang Studios, Xbox Game Studios, and SkyBox Labs, based on the Bedrock codebase.
The term "Bedrock Edition" originates from the Bedrock codebase, which was created to run on platforms that do not support Java. It includes platform-specific modifications and a shared core of functionality known as the "Bedrock Engine."
Approximately 90% of the Bedrock code is shared across all platforms, with the remaining 10% accommodating platform-specific modifications.
The Bedrock codebase is used for Minecraft Education, China Edition, Minecraft Dungeons, and Minecraft Legends. It has also been employed in discontinued editions like Pi Edition, New Nintendo 3DS Edition, and Minecraft Earth.
As of May 12, 2023, Mineplex experienced an unexpected outage, with both its website and Minecraft servers becoming inaccessible. On May 15, 2023, Mineplex was removed from the featured server listing on Minecraft: Bedrock Edition. However, as of now, there has been no official announcement from the developers stating that Mineplex has ceased operations.