Editing Steve (Minecraft)

{{Short description|Player character in Minecraft}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Steve (''Minecraft'')}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Steve
| creator = [[Markus Persson]]
| franchise = [[Minecraft (franchise)|''Minecraft'']]
| image = Steve (Minecraft).png
| caption = Official promotional art for Steve
| first_major = [[Minecraft]]
| first_date = May 17, 2009
| alt = Artwork of Steve running and holding a pixelated pickaxe.
| species = Human
| gender = Male
| origin = Overworld
}}

'''Steve''' is a [[player character|fictional character]] from the 2011 [[video game]] ''[[Minecraft]]''. Created by Swedish [[video game developer]] [[Markus Persson|Markus "Notch" Persson]] and introduced in the initial [[Java (software platform)|Java-based version]] of ''Minecraft'' which was first publicly released on May 17, 2009, Steve is one of nine default [[player character]] [[skin (computing)|skins]] available for players of contemporary versions of ''Minecraft''. Steve lacks an official backstory by the developers of ''Minecraft'' as he is intended to be a customizable [[Avatar (computing)|player avatar]] as opposed to being a predefined character. His feminine counterpart, '''Alex''', was first introduced in August 2014 for Java PC versions of ''Minecraft,'' with the other seven debuting in the Java edition of the game in October 2022. Depending on the version of ''Minecraft'', players have a chance of defaulting to either Steve or any of the other variant skins when creating a new account, although the skin is easy to change from the client or website.

Steve became a widely recognized character in the video game industry following the critical and commercial success of the ''Minecraft'' franchise. Considered by some critics as a mascot for the ''Minecraft'' intellectual property, his likeness has appeared extensively in advertising and merchandise, including wearable apparel and collectible items. The character has also inspired a number of unofficial media and urban legends, most notably the "'''Herobrine'''" [[creepypasta]] which became widely shared around internet communities as a [[meme]] during the 2010s.

==Concept and design==
Steve is presented as a human character with a blocky appearance, which is consistent with the aesthetic and art style of ''Minecraft''. His name originated as an [[in-joke]] by Persson,<ref name="SVG">{{cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Emily |date=October 26, 2020 |title=Minecraft Creator Reveals The Truth About This Popular Steve Fan Theory |url=https://www.svg.com/267672/minecraft-creator-reveals-the-truth-about-this-popular-steve-fan-theory/ |access-date=September 26, 2021 |website=SVG.com}}</ref> and was confirmed as his official name in the "''Bedrock Edition''" of ''Minecraft''.<ref name="Everything" /> Steve's face consists of an eight-by-eight pixel image, usually adorned with a [[goatee]]. He wears a light blue top, a pair of blue trousers, and shoes.<ref name="Greatest" /> In console editions of ''Minecraft,'' Steve appeared in a variety of different outfits, such as a [[tuxedo]] and prison outfit.<ref name=":1" />{{Efn|name=editions|A distinction is made between the differences of the two different editions of ''Minecraft''. This article refers to the game on consoles and smartphones where customization of skins is limited to skins that exist in the virtual store. This is in contrast with the Windows, Linux, and Macintosh versions where skins are completely customizable, as users may upload image files to [[Mojang]].}}

[[File:SteveandAlex.png|thumb|Side by side comparison of the character skins for Steve ''(left)'' and Alex ''(right)'' used in all versions from 2014 to 2022.|alt=Isometric view of both Steve (left) and Alex (right). They are blocky figures made up of rectangular cubes. Alex is a feminine-looking character. She has long orange hair painted on the skin and skinnier arms. Steve is more masculine-looking. He has short brown hair and thicker arms than Alex.|198x198px]]
In spite of his masculine name and features, Persson claimed that Steve's gender was never intended to be fixed. In 2012, Persson explained that ''Minecraft''{{'s}} blocky graphics inadvertently reinforced a default aesthetic for the game which is "traditionally [[masculine]]".<ref name=":1" /><ref name="GenderInMinecraft">{{cite web |last=Persson |first=Markus |author-link=Markus Persson |date=July 28, 2012 |title=Gender in Minecraft |url=https://notch.tumblr.com/post/28188312756 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728170757/http://notch.tumblr.com/post/28188312756/gender-in-minecraft |archive-date=July 28, 2012 |access-date=September 25, 2021 |website=[[tumblr]]}}</ref> He emphasized that ''Minecraft'' was designed to "be a game without a gender element" in a game where "gender doesn't exist", and that the [[3D modeling|character model]] was "intended to represent a human being" who was [[Unisex|genderless]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Good |first=Owen |date=July 28, 2012 |title='Minecraft Guy' Isn't Supposed to Be a Guy—or a Girl, Says Game's Creator |url=https://kotaku.com/minecraft-guy-isnt-supposed-to-be-a-guy-or-a-girl-says-5929849 |access-date=September 26, 2021 |website=[[Kotaku]]}}</ref> Admitting that limiting the gender option to just male "is telling everybody this is a boy game only", Persson claimed that he once attempted to create a proper female character model in ''Minecraft'', but said "the results have been extremely sexist."<ref name=":1" />

By August 22, 2014, another default skin that is complimentary for all ''Minecraft'' players named Alex was added to the ''Java Edition'' of ''Minecraft'', for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux.<ref>*{{cite web |last=Webster |first=Andrew |date=April 27, 2015 |title=You can finally choose to play as a girl in Minecraft |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/4/27/8503863/minecraft-female-default-character |access-date=September 26, 2021 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Bergensten |first=Jens |author-link=Jens Bergensten |date=August 22, 2014 |title=Minecraft 1.8 Pre-release – The Bountiful Update |url=https://www.mojang.com/2014/08/minecraft-1-8-pre-release-the-bountiful-update/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822113047/https://www.mojang.com/2014/08/minecraft-1-8-pre-release-the-bountiful-update/ |archive-date=August 22, 2014 |access-date=September 25, 2021 |website=[[Mojang]]}}</ref> The character was added to the console and mobile versions of ''Minecraft'' at a later date.<ref name=":1" /> Alex's character model is similar to Steve's, but with a more [[feminine]] appearance: she has red hair tied into a ponytail, and narrower arms.<ref>*{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Owen |date=April 27, 2015 |title=New skins! Achievements! Music! |url=https://mojang.com/2015/04/new-skins-achievements-music/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427183642/https://mojang.com/2015/04/new-skins-achievements-music/ |archive-date=April 27, 2015 |access-date=September 26, 2021 |website=mojang.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Chalk |first=Andu |date=July 17, 2014 |title=Minecraft developer says narrower arms provide a more feminine look |work=PC Gamer |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/minecraft-developer-says-narrower-arms-provide-a-more-feminine-look/ |access-date=September 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Messina |first=Lynn |date=October 2, 2015 |title=Dear Minecraft Villagers: I'm Worried About You. |url=https://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/02/dear-minecraft-villagers-im-worried-about-you/ |access-date=September 25, 2021 |website=[[New York Times]] |quote=Recently, they added the first default female character. All human beings are no longer automatically a stubble-hewn male guy named Steve.}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Commenting on ''Minecraft''{{'s}} reputation for better gender representation compared to other video games in the industry as of the 2010s, Helen Chiang, the Microsoft studio head responsible for the ''Minecraft'' franchise, explained in a 2018 interview that it is important for her company to leverage the power of the ''Minecraft'' brand to subvert traditional gender stereotypes. By presenting Alex and Steve as having identical physical capabilities or qualities as each other, Chiang said this reinforces the studio's stance on gender equality and their commitment to its ideals.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fessler |first=Leah |date=August 2, 2018 |title=Minecraft's head says American employees should get a gap year like they do in Sweden |url=https://qz.com/work/1346078/minecrafts-helen-chiang-says-us-employees-should-get-a-gap-year/ |access-date=September 26, 2021 |website=[[Quartz (publication)|Quartz]]}}</ref>
[[File:Minecraft Defaults Skins.png|thumb|260x260px|(From left to right) Sunny, Kai, Makena, Steve, Alex, Zuri, Efe, Ari, and Noor.]]
On August 22, 2022, exactly 8 years after Alex was added, an update to the ''Minecraft'' launcher implemented a redesign of both Steve and Alex. The new skins were mostly the same as before, but were more textured. They also utilized multiple layers, a feature originally added to ''Minecraft''<nowiki/>'s skins alongside Alex in 2014, but that had only ever been utilized by custom skins prior to this update. These redesigns also restored Steve's goatee, which had been removed in a 2009 update.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-08-22 |title=Minecraft Steve regrows beard after more than a decade |language=en-gb |work=Eurogamer.net |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/minecraft-steve-regrows-beard-after-more-than-a-decade |access-date=2022-10-23}}</ref>

On October 24, 2022, seven more default skins were added to ''Minecraft'', all using the existing Steve and Alex character models. The skins are known as "Noor", "Sunny", "Ari", "Zuri", "Makena", "Kai", and "Efe". These skins were added for increased diversity within the games  community.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-24 |title=Minecraft skins get seven more inclusive options |work=pcgamersn.com |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/minecraft/skins-default-options |access-date=2023-07-26}}</ref>

==Description==
===Character overview===
Steve is one of nine default character [[Skin (computing)|skins]] which are available for new players of ''Minecraft''.{{sfn|Goldberg|Larsson|2013}}<ref name=":2">{{cite journal |last=Smolčec |first=Marijana |date=August 2014 |title=Using Minecraft for Learning English |url=https://tesl-ej.org/pdf/ej70/int.pdf |journal=The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language |volume=18 |page=9}}</ref> A skin is the appearance of the player's avatar that represents the player in the game world, which can be changed, altered, or replaced by the player.<ref name=":0" /> Players are allowed multiple options to change the [[Texture mapping|visual appearance]] of their player character's skin.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minecraft: Java Edition Skins |url=https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/4408894664461-Minecraft-Java-Edition-Skins |access-date=September 25, 2021 |website=help.minecraft.net}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0">{{Citation|last1=Lane|first1=H. Chad|title=Playing With Virtual Blocks: Minecraft as a Learning Environment for Practice and Research|date=2017|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318448771|work=Cognitive Development in Digital Contexts|pages=145–166|publisher=Elsevier|doi=10.1016/b978-0-12-809481-5.00007-9|isbn=978-0-12-809481-5|access-date=September 26, 2021|last2=Yi|first2=Sherry}}</ref> All zombie mobs found in ''Minecraft'' appear to be wearing the same clothing as Steve, although no official explanation was ever given.<ref name="Everything">{{cite web |last=Coles |first=Jason |date=December 24, 2020 |title=Everything you need to know about Steve in Minecraft |work=[[PC Gamer]] |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/minecraft-steve-skin-herobrine/ |access-date=April 15, 2022}}</ref>

Prior to Alex's introduction, Steve was the only official skin available to players on the PC and Mobile editions of the game, though players of the PC version could use skins they've designed themselves or found online. On the original console editions of the game, up to eight variants of Steve were also offered, none of them female, in addition to a greater variety of characters that were available to those who purchased them as part of bundles.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last=Harwell |first=Drew |date=April 27, 2015 |title=Minecraft is finally fixing its huge gender problem |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/04/27/minecraft-is-finally-fixing-its-huge-gender-problem/ |access-date=September 26, 2021 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>{{Efn||name=editions}} Like Steve, Alex initially could not be manually selected in these console versions, and her use is randomly assigned whenever players start a new game.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="Everything" /> As of 2022, both Steve and Alex, as well as the other seven default skins, can be manually selected in all versions of the game, either via an in-game menu or in the game launcher, depending on the version of ''Minecraft'' being played.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Antonelli |first=Emma Witman, William |title=How to change your character's skin in Minecraft to give them a different appearance |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/how-to-change-skin-in-minecraft |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>

According to backstory provided in ''[[Lego Club Magazine]]'', Steve and Alex are in a romantic relationship and both have distinct interests outside of their shared aptitude for building: Steve has a penchant for mining and alchemy, whereas Alex prefers exploring and hunting. In the next bimonthly release of the Lego Club Magazine, it is told that Creepers got into their clubhouse and wrote over their original words, and that Steve and Alex are actually best friends instead, correcting the aforementioned statement in the prior release. Due to this, the characters in Minecraft are generally considered asexual, except for villagers and some animals, who can be seen having children in-game.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Max Comic |magazine=[[Lego Club Magazine]] |publisher=[[The Lego Group]] |date=September 2016 |page=2 |quote=In the August issue of Club Magazine, Minecraft Creepers got into our clubhouse and wrote over our words! Steve and Alex are actually best friends!}}<!-- page number guesstimated from https://www.parrygamepreserve.com/media/magazines/lego_club/2016/lego_club_2016_09_September.php Accessed 2023-08-10 --></ref><ref name="Everything" />

===Herobrine===
[[File:HerobrineMinecraft.png|thumb|upright|A screenshot of a Minecraft creepypasta, Herobrine: a figure with white eyes said to haunt Minecraft from 2013.|alt=A screenshot from the waist up of the character Steve, except the eyes are white.]]
Herobrine is an [[urban legend]] and [[creepypasta]] which originated as a hoax propagated by an [[anonymous post]] on the English-language imageboard website [[4chan]].<ref name="Creepypasta">{{cite news |last=Morton |first=Lauren |date=February 1, 2021 |title=The story of Herobrine, Minecraft's decade-old creepypasta mystery |work=[[PC Gamer]] |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/minecraft-herobrine-story-creepypasta-explained/ |access-date=September 26, 2021}}</ref> A "ghost" who haunts single-player ''Minecraft'' worlds, the character is supposed to look like a standard character model for Steve, except for a pair of glowing white eyes which lack pupils.<ref name="Creepypasta" /> Theories that explain the character's supposed origins range from his purported identity as Persson's supposedly deceased brother to an "unlucky miner" who haunts living players out of a desire for vengeance.<ref name="Creepypasta" /> The first purported sighting of Herobrine was from the time period when ''Minecraft'' was still in the [[Software release life cycle#Alpha|alpha phase of development]]: an anonymous 4chan poster claimed that they spotted a character who stared at them from the dense fog between the trees before vanishing and that they received a private message from a user called Herobrine, which simply said "stop".<ref name="Creepypasta" /> This occurred after a subsequent post they made which inquired about the sighting was allegedly removed without explanation.<ref name="Creepypasta" />

===Other appearances===
Steve has been featured in video game media outside of ''Minecraft''. He appears as an exclusive playable character in the PC version of ''[[Super Meat Boy]]'' as "Mr. Minecraft".<ref>{{cite web |last=Devore |first=Jordan |date=November 3, 2010 |title=Mr. Minecraft's blocky Super Meat Boy debut |url=https://www.destructoid.com/mr-minecrafts-blocky-super-meat-boy-debut/ |access-date=April 16, 2022 |website=[[Destructoid]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Ben |date=December 2, 2010 |title=Mr. Minecraft is a god in Super Meat Boy |url=https://www.engadget.com/2010-12-02-mr-minecraft-is-a-god-in-super-meat-boy.html |access-date=April 16, 2022 |website=[[Engadget]]}}</ref> Steve's head appears in ''[[Borderlands 2]]'' as an unlockable cosmetic.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wilde |first=Tyler |date=September 19, 2012 |title=How to find Borderlands 2's Minecraft Easter egg |work=[[PC Gamer]] |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/borderlands-2-minecraft-easter-egg-discovered-heres-how-to-find-it/ |access-date=October 24, 2021}}</ref> Steve's head is also unlockable to those who managed to reach level 20 as the Paladin in ''[[Hybrid (video game)|Hybrid]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Groen |first=Andrew |date=July 17, 2012 |title=Minecraft helmets to appear in 5th Cell's Summer of Arcade title, Hybrid |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/5th-cells-hybrid-offers-minecraft-helmets-level-20/ |access-date=October 10, 2021 |website=[[GamesRadar]]}}</ref>

Steve is featured as a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''; his alternate costumes transform him into Alex as well as the Zombie and Enderman enemies from ''Minecraft''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Walker |first=Ian |date=October 5, 2020 |title=A Few Alt-Reality Takes On Smash's Latest Character Reveal |url=https://kotaku.com/a-few-alt-reality-takes-on-smashs-latest-character-reve-1845281920 |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=Kotaku}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gilbert |first=Ben |date=October 1, 2020 |title=Nintendo's iconic 'Super Smash Bros.' is adding the main character from 'Minecraft' as a playable fighter |work=[[Insider (website)|Insider]] |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/super-smash-bros-adding-steve-from-minecraft-2020-10 |access-date=September 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Faulkner |first=Cameron |date=October 1, 2020 |title=Steve and Alex from Minecraft are coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on October 13th |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/1/21495481/steve-minecraft-super-smash-bros-ultimate-nintendo-switch-fighter-pass-vol-2 |access-date=September 26, 2021 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Holt |first=Kris |date=October 1, 2020 |title=The next 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' fighter is Steve from 'Minecraft' |work=[[Engadget]] |url=https://www.engadget.com/super-smash-bros-ultimate-dlc-fighter-steve-minecraft-145258285.html |access-date=September 26, 2021}}</ref>

Steve and Alex appear as skins in ''[[Minecraft Dungeons]]'', where Steve was the most commonly selected skin among players.<ref>{{Cite tweet|number=1536787640426450944|user=dungeonsgame|title=The Dungeons 2nd Anniversary Event is quickly approaching its finale, so we’ve gathered and compiled the latest stats from your adventures in the Overworld, Nether, and End. Feast your eyes upon our history and enjoy!|author=Minecraft Dungeons|date=14 June 2022|access-date=23 October 2022}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Cultural impact===

Critics noted that Steve has achieved a level of cultural impact and viral recognition outside of the character's original purpose as a baseline or default skin for new players of ''Minecraft''. As the face of the franchise in [[Promotional material|promotional]] and [[advertising]] materials,<ref name=":0" /> some commentators consider Steve to be the closest character ''Minecraft'' has to a protagonist or [[main character]].{{sfn|Goldberg|Larsson|2013}}<ref name=":2" /> This is in spite of the fact that his existence is not asserted by way of an official backstory or in-game dialogue unlike most other video game characters.<ref name="Greatest">{{cite book |editor=Jaime Banks |editor2=Robert Mejia |editor3=Aubrie Adams |title=100 Greatest Video Game Characters |date=June 23, 2017 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield, 2017 |pages=184–186 |isbn=978-1-59582-768-5}}</ref> In 2016, ''[[Glixel]]'' staff ranked Steve as the 4th most iconic video game character of the 21st century.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glixel.com/news/lists/50-most-iconic-video-game-characters-of-the-21st-century-w449203/steve-w449259 |title=50 Most Iconic Video Game Characters of the 21st Century |date=November 23, 2016 |website=Glixel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123084532/http://www.glixel.com/news/lists/50-most-iconic-video-game-characters-of-the-21st-century-w449203/steve-w449259 |archive-date=November 23, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In a 2021 list published by ''[[GamesRadar]]'' which rank 50 iconic video game characters, Rachel Weber considered Steve to be the "enduring symbol" of ''Minecraft'', and his character model to be one of the most instantly recognizable silhouettes in video game culture.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-game-characters/ |title=50 iconic video game characters |first=Rachel |last=Weber |date=November 8, 2021 |website=gamesradar}}</ref>

Steve has been the subject of multiple fan theories spread around Internet communities.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rundle |first=Michael |date=January 19, 2015 |title=This Theory Might Change The Way You Think About 'Minecraft' |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/01/19/minecraft-backstory-theory_n_6500852.html |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=HuffPost UK}}</ref> One theory alleged that Steve is based on [[Tommy Vercetti]], the protagonist of ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]'', due to the alleged physical resemblance between both characters. It relied on a 2009 [[Tumblr]] post by Persson which documented his progress working on ''Minecraft'', where he confirmed that he used designs inspired by ''Grand Theft Auto'' video games as a foundation for his work.<ref name="SVG" /> In 2020, Persson publicly responded on social media and denied any tangible connections between both characters.<ref name="SVG" />

=== Herobrine phenomenon ===
Another fan-spread phenomenon, the Herobrine creepypasta, is regarded as a notable horror-themed urban legend in the video game industry.<ref name="ign">{{cite web |last=Dean |first=Paul |date=October 11, 2011 |title=Hauntings and Hoaxes: Gamings Weirdest Ghost Stories |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/10/31/hauntings-and-hoaxes-gamings-weirdest-ghost-stories |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160930145226/http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/10/31/hauntings-and-hoaxes-gamings-weirdest-ghost-stories |archive-date=September 30, 2016 |access-date=September 26, 2021 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Rigotti |first=Devin |date=November 5, 2020 |title=Unintentionally Creepy Moments in Gaming |url=https://www.redbull.com/za-en/creepy-moments-in-gaming |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=Red Bull}}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis |last=Powell |first=Daniel |title=Digital Dissonance: Horror Cultures in the Age of Convergent Technologies |publisher=[[University of Central Florida]] |url=https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6482&context=etd |date=Spring 2017}}</ref> Following the anonymous 4chan post, the hoax became the subject of numerous threads on ''Minecraft'' internet forums as well as user generated videos on YouTube which report alleged sightings, often annotated with red text and eerily-themed music.<ref name="Creepypasta" /> Two popular ''Minecraft'' livestreamers, Copeland and Patimuss, were acknowledged by Lauren Morton from ''PC Gamer'' for their contributions towards popularizing the urban legend into a viral meme.<ref name="Creepypasta" /> For example, Copeland posted a few edited ''Minecraft'' screenshots which shows a depiction of Herobrine to get a reaction from his viewers and staged a hoax sighting for his livestream using a retextured painting which is made to look like Herobrine.<ref name="NME" /><ref name="Creepypasta" /> The popularity of the Herobrine creepypasta led to a placement on a 2013 poll of the "Top 50 Video Game Villains of All Time" organized by [[Guinness World Records]],<ref name="Hardcore">{{cite web |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2013/1/bowser-crowned-greatest-videogame-villain-of-all-time-in-poll-for-guinness-world-records-2013-gamer%E2%80%99s-edition-46745 |title=Bowser crowned 'greatest videogame villain of all time' in poll for Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer's Edition |work=Guinness World Records News |date=January 23, 2013 |access-date=April 25, 2022}}</ref> spawned unofficial books such as ''The Legend of Herobrine'' and the ''[[Gameknight999]]'' series of novels, and inspired [[fan labor|fan-made skins]] patterned after the creepypasta.<ref name="Creepypasta" /> As an acknowledgement of the Herobrine meme, Mojang development staff often include the line "Removed Herobrine" within patch notes released for the game up until June 23, 2020, with the Java Edition 1.16 patch, also known as ''Minecraft''{{'s}} Nether Update.<ref name="Creepypasta" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Zeranko |first=Jacob |date=July 19, 2021 |title=Weirdest Minecraft Easter Eggs & Discoveries |url=https://screenrant.com/minecraft-easter-eggs-secrets-weird/ |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=ScreenRant}}</ref> Fan interest in the meme eventually culminated in early 2021 with the discovery of the world seed which contains the first instance of Herobrine's alleged sighting.<ref name="NME">{{cite web |last=Teixeira |first=Miri |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Legendary Herobrine seed finally found in 'Minecraft' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/legendary-herobrine-seed-finally-found-in-minecraft-2864327 |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=NME}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Cryer |first=Hirun |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Notorious Minecraft Herobrine world seed has finally been unveiled |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/minecraft-herobrine-world-seed/ |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=gamesradar}}</ref>

===''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''===
The announcement and introduction of ''Minecraft'' themed [[Downloadable content|DLC]] for ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', which is primarily represented by the Steve character, was met with a very enthusiastic response from critics and players.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ranking Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's New Character Introductions Over The Last 5 Years |url=https://kotaku.com/ranking-super-smash-bros-ultimates-new-character-intro-1848247989/slides/5 |access-date=April 16, 2022 |website=Kotaku|date=December 20, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Carter |first=Chris |date=October 14, 2020 |title=Minecraft's Steve is one of the zaniest Smash Ultimate additions yet, but by God it works |url=https://www.destructoid.com/minecrafts-steve-is-one-of-the-zaniest-smash-ultimate-additions-yet-but-by-god-it-works/ |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=Destructoid}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Good |first=Owen S. |date=October 14, 2020 |title=You can't beat Minecraft Steve's Smash Bros. victory screen |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/10/14/21515823/super-smash-bros-ultimate-minecraft-dlc-steve-alex-enderman-zombie-victory-screen-poses |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=Polygon}}</ref> Some commentators suggested that much of the excitement was due to the character's unprecedented inclusion into a popular fighting game, and that in the aftermath of the reveal, social media website [[Twitter]] may have struggled with the volume of postings which were generated in response.<ref>{{cite web |author=Gabe Gurwin |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/twitter-crashes-and-reacts-to-super-smash-bros-ultimates-minecraft-steve-reveal/1100-6482817/ |title=Twitter Crashes And Reacts To Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Minecraft Steve Reveal |date=October 3, 2020 |website=GameSpot}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kim |first=Matt |date=October 2, 2020 |title=The Internet Thinks Minecraft in Smash Bros. Crashed Twitter |url=https://sea.ign.com/news/164435/the-internet-thinks-minecraft-in-smash-bros-crashed-twitter |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=IGN Southeast Asia}}</ref> Patricia Hernandez from ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' and Nadia Fox from ''US Gamer'' further noted that an awkward animation which is featured during the character's end-of-match win screen scandalized some viewers, which had the effect of generating further publicity surrounding the character's imminent debut in ''Smash''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Patricia |date=October 21, 2020 |title=Smash Bros. patches out Minecraft Steve's meat |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/10/21/21527893/minecraft-smash-bros-ultimate-steve-meat-victory-screen-patch-update |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=Polygon}}</ref><ref name="USGamer">{{cite web |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/unlike-arbys-minecrafts-steve-no-longer-has-the-meat |title=Unlike Arby's, Minecraft's Steve No Longer Has the Meat |work=USGamer |last=Oxford |first=Nadia |date=October 21, 2020 |access-date=April 15, 2022 |archive-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507004356/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/unlike-arbys-minecrafts-steve-no-longer-has-the-meat |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In his review of the Steve DLC for ''Ultimate'', Mitchell Saltzman from ''[[IGN]]'' described Steve as one of the most complex fighters ever introduced in the game in terms of gameplay mechanics, and highlighted the inventive ways which the developers incorporated the resource collection and item crafting mechanics of ''Minecraft'' into his moveset.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Saltzman |date=October 16, 2022 |title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC Review – Minecraft Steve |url=https://sea.ign.com/review/165019/super-smash-bros-ultimate-dlc-review-minecraft-steve |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=IGN Southeast Asia}}</ref> ''Kotaku'' staff were divided over the playable iteration of Steve in ''Smash''. Ian Walker considered Steve to be one of the most exciting characters to play for ''Ultimate'' after  observing an event where one of the players displayed his ingenuity with Steve's construction capabilities.<ref name=":Eff">{{cite web |last=Walker |first=Ian |date=July 20, 2020 |title=Smash Player Effs Up Opponent |url=https://kotaku.com/smash-player-effs-up-opponent-1847332620 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=Kotaku}}</ref> Ari Notis took a less favorable view and called him the strangest character he has ever played. Notis described in detail the visual and gameplay dissonances he observed from the implementation of Steve in ''Ultimate''.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |last=Notis |first=Ari |date=October 14, 2020 |title=Minecraft's Steve Is Super Weird In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |url=https://kotaku.com/minecrafts-steve-is-super-weird-in-super-smash-bros-ul-1845372517 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=Kotaku}}</ref>

Since Steve's addition to ''Ultimate'', the character became a point of contention within the game's [[Super Smash Bros. in esports|competitive community]], citing Steve's unorthodox playstyle and rapid rise in high placements at competitions. Some players began advocating for Steve to be banned from tournaments, fearing the character's dominance could negatively affect viewership like [[Bayonetta (character)|Bayonetta]] had for ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]''. Opponents of a ban point out that Steve is a recent addition to the game, and that effective counterplay has yet to be developed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Riley |date=2022-07-11 |title=Why Competitive Smash Ultimate Players Want to Ban Minecraft's Steve |url=https://www.cbr.com/smash-ultimate-competitive-ban-minecraft-steve-nintendo/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Varnson |first=Fletcher |date=2022-07-06 |title=Smash Bros. Ultimate: Pros & Cons Of Banning Steve |url=https://screenrant.com/super-smash-bros-ultimate-ban-steve-pros-cons/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}}</ref> The calls for a ban intensified after the results and picks went higher.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Smash Ultimate pros demand Steve ban after 15-year-old Acola wins major |url=https://www.dexerto.com/smash/smash-ultimate-pros-demand-steve-ban-after-15-year-old-acola-wins-major-1851710/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=Dexerto |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-15 |title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Competitive Community Really Hates Steve From Minecraft |url=https://kotaku.com/super-smash-bros-ultimate-minecraft-ban-steve-sora-onin-1849413171 |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=Kotaku |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-15 |title=Steve from Minecraft was the big winner at Super Smash Con 2022 |url=https://www.destructoid.com/steve-super-smash-con-2022-big-winners/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=Destructoid |language=en-CA}}</ref> In February 2023, Steve was named the best character in ''Ultimate'' via tier list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Joshua |date=2023-02-25 |title=Minecraft Steve Is Officially Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Best Character |url=https://www.thegamer.com/super-smash-bros-ultimate-best-character-minecraft-steve/ |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}</ref> As of March 2023, Steve was banned in several tournaments, due to the discovery of a new tech that negates hitstun.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shepard |first1=Kenneth |title=Long-Hated Steve From Minecraft Is Being Banned In Competitive Smash Bros. |url=https://kotaku.com/super-smash-bros-tournament-ban-steve-minecraft-glitch-1850185818 |website=Kotaku |publisher=G/O Media |access-date=14 March 2023 |date=3 March 2023}}</ref>

===Analysis===
{{Quote box
| width = 25em
| align = right
| quote = "The creative agency that the process of skin design affords is also a feature of the player's interaction with the game's landscape. Here, Steve's role is again central. Whether the player is taking control of the default Steve or an adapted variant, the character itself is always abstract enough to allow players to assign their own meaning to it. The character is human enough to be relatable but not so realistic that meaning is fixed and the avatar's identity is othered. This arguably reduces the distance between the player and the game; players' experience is not mediated by another character, with its own associations, but by an avatar easily associated with themselves. This lack of distinctive backstory and gendered features also means that Steve's appeal is potentially wide; an unexceptional and relatable "every(hu)man"."
| source = — Chris Bailey, ''100 Greatest Video Game Characters''.<ref name="Greatest" />
}}
In an entry about Steve from the 2017 publication ''100 Greatest Video Game Characters'', Chris Bailey explained that what little is known about Steve helps illuminate how video game avatars are being perceived in relation to player identity, because the character embodies and conducts the spirit of freedom and customization inherent to [[sandbox video game]]s.<ref name="Greatest" /> He further elaborated that Steve exemplifies the "centrality" of relatable avatars in affording players their own creative agency in and around video games: while other games allow a certain level of avatar customization, Steve embodies this possibility more than most with a process akin to a kind of scaffolded pixel art enabling the redesign of the entire surface of the body beyond changing a pre-defined hairstyle or skin color. This process is particularly visible through the proliferation of online communities and forums set up to share user-generated adapted skins.<ref name="Greatest" />

With regards to the concept of Steve's gender being neutral and non-binary as asserted by Persson, Bailey took the view that it is "initially difficult" to account for the inclusion of an avatar with an "evidently gendered name".<ref name="Greatest" /> Nevertheless, he observed that ''Minecraft''{{'s}} player communities have embraced the game's general principle of openness due to their enthusiasm in engaging with the possibility of customizing their avatars' appearances.<ref name="Greatest" /> This is achieved through the process of overlaying a new skin over Steve's original form, which represents a player's direct input in how they want to be represented in-game.<ref name="Greatest" /> Similarly, H. Chad Lane said that the concept of skins in ''Minecraft'', represented by Steve and Alex as the baseline, can act as a reflection of the player's identify and self-perceptions, regardless of whether it is similar to or in contrast to the player's identity in the [[Real life|real world]].<ref name=":0" />

Gabriel Menotti cited the Herobrine hoax, which involved a character which was never a real in-game entity, as an example of how the recording of playthroughs might influence the universe of ''Minecraft'' in a radical way. He believed that Persson's ambiguous answer on whether Herobrine will ever be integrated into ''Minecraft'' suggests that there is always a possibility for player imagination to be incorporated into one of the game's future updates, which is consistent with the logic behind ''Minecraft''{{'s}} open development as well as its history of frequent updates that sometimes introduce game-changing novelties.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Menotti |first=Gabriel |date=2014 |title=Videorec as gameplay: Recording playthroughs and video game engagement |url=https://www.gamejournal.it/3_menotti/ |journal=The Italian Journal of Game Studies |volume=1 |issue=3 |page=91 |issn=2280-7705}}</ref> The authors of ''Mixing and Re-Purposing Realities'' observed that the popularity of the Herobrine meme represents the ''Minecraft'' community's embrace of creative efforts by its members with the transition of spontaneous user-generated content into ''Minecraft'' folklore. Their survey of the study's respondents found that Herobrine is treated as a mythological destructive character which some similar traits as [[superhero]] characters.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Flint |first1=Tom |last2=Hall |first2=Lynne |last3=Stewart |first3=Fiona |last4=O'Brien |first4=Catherine A. |date=July 2018 |title=Mixing and Re-Purposing Realities |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.14236/ewic/hci2018.39 |journal=Proceedings of the 32nd International BCS Human Computer Interaction Conference (HCI) |series=Electronic Workshops in Computing |publisher=BCS Learning & Development |page=6 |doi=10.14236/ewic/hci2018.39 |s2cid=53062295}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last1=Anderson |first1=Emma |last2=Walker |first2=Justice |last3=Kafai |first3=Yasmin B. |last4=Lui |first4=Debora |title=Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games |chapter=The gender and race of pixels |date=August 14, 2017 |chapter-url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3102071.3102094 |series=FDG '17 |location=Hyannis Massachusetts |publisher=ACM |pages=1–10 |doi=10.1145/3102071.3102094 |isbn=978-1-4503-5319-9 |s2cid=23685632 |language=en}}
* {{cite book |last1=Ames |first1=Morgan G. |last2=Burrell |first2=Jenna |title=Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing |chapter='Connected Learning' and the Equity Agenda |date=February 25, 2017 |chapter-url=http://www.morganya.org/research/ames-cscw17-minecraft.pdf |series=CSCW '17 |location=New York, NY, USA |publisher=Association for Computing Machinery |pages=446–457 |doi=10.1145/2998181.2998318 |isbn=978-1-4503-4335-0 |s2cid=19654526}}
* {{cite journal |last=Ohlendorf |first=Roman |date=April 21, 2016 |title=Playing with the Legend: Ostension and Extra-Textual Production in Minecraft |url=https://heiup.uni-heidelberg.de/journals/index.php/religions/article/view/23547 |journal=Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet |volume=10 |doi=10.17885/heiup.rel.23547 |access-date=September 26, 2021}}
* {{cite thesis |last=Bayle-Spence |first=Callum |title=Minecraft's Sandbox: Play in a Virtual World of Creative Exploration |date=August 2020 |degree=Master of Arts in Child Development |publisher=[[Sarah Lawrence College]] |url=https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1049&context=child_development_etd}}
* {{cite book |last1=Ames |first1=Morgan G. |last2=Burrell |first2=Jenna |title=Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing |chapter='Connected Learning' and the Equity Agenda |date=February 25, 2017 |chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.1145/2998181.2998318 |series=CSCW '17 |location=New York, NY, USA |publisher=Association for Computing Machinery |pages=446–457 |doi=10.1145/2998181.2998318 |isbn=978-1-4503-4335-0 |s2cid=19654526 |access-date=September 26, 2021}}
* {{cite book |last=Garrelts |first=Nate |title=Understanding Minecraft: Essays on Play, Community and Possibilities |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-7864-7974-0 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina}}
* {{cite book |last1=Goldberg |first1=Daniel |title=Minecraft: The unlikely tale of Markus "Notch" Persson and the game that changed everything |title-link=Minecraft (book) |last2=Larsson |first2=Linus |year=2013 |publisher=Seven Stories Press |isbn=978-1-60980-686-6 |translator-last=Hawkins |translator-first=Jennifer |language=en}}
* {{cite book |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781315637525/routledge-companion-imaginary-worlds-mark-wolf |title=The Routledge Companion to Imaginary Worlds |publisher=Routledge |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-315-63752-5 |editor-last=Wolf |editor-first=Mark J. P. |location=New York |doi=10.4324/9781315637525}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [https://namemc.com/skin/63455d7069b397c2 Steve's entry on NameMC]—a searchable skin database <!-- Rationale for adding NameMC: it is a trusted mirror of Mojang's APIs and "provide[s] a unique resource beyond what the article would contain if it became a featured article" ([[WP:ELNO]]). Only remove if the site's accuracy is called into question. Do not add other similar searchable sites! -->
{{Minecraft}}
{{Super Smash Bros.}}

[[Category:Minecraft]]
[[Category:2010s fads and trends]]
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[[Category:Male characters in video games]]
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[[Category:Silent protagonists]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. fighters]]
[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 2009]]
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