Minecraft is the best-selling sport ever, so it’s naturally inspired dozens of Minecraft-like clones and similar-looking, voxel-based crafting sims over the previous 15 or so years. Many have survived with none grievance from Microsoft. However earlier this week, an upcoming Steam sport referred to as Allumeria was briefly taken down over a single screenshot.
On Tuesday, the developer behind the Minecraft-looking, dungeon raiding sandbox announced that their sport had been taken down from Valve’s storefront because of a DMCA copyright discover issued by Microsoft. The discover, shared by developer Unomelon within the sport’s Discord server, accused Allumeria of utilizing “Minecraft content, including but not limited to gameplay and assets.”
The takedown was apparently issued over one particular screenshot from the sport’s Steam web page. It reveals a vaguely Minecraft-esque world with birch bushes, tall grass, a blue sky, and pumpkins: all issues which might be in Minecraft but additionally in actual life and many different video games. The sport does look fairly much like Minecraft, nevertheless it doesn’t seem like reusing any of its precise property or crossing some arbitrary line between homage and copycat that dozens of different Minecraft-inspired video games haven’t crossed earlier than.
A take a look at the sport’s Steam web page reveals a reasonably charming crafting sim that makes clear makes an attempt to distinguish itself from Minecraft: its trailer, screenshots, and outline all emphasize a give attention to boss fights, loot, an in-depth cave system, and extra customizable decorations. It’s additionally stunning that Allumeria was hit when just lately launched Hytale, which accurately grew out of a Minecraft server and looks like a super polished texture pack, has been allowed to thrive seemingly with out problem.
Letting AI automate takedown claims
Developer Unomelon informed me through Discord that the declare was issued through Tracer.AI, an AI platform used to routinely detect and take away copyright infringements. Microsoft and Mojang have beforehand used the platform to take down different voxel video games, like a Roblox tech demo whose developer later spoke out about the takedown, in addition to YouTube videos about Minecraft itself.
Whereas it’s unclear if the declare was issued routinely or deliberately, Mojang Chief Artistic Officer Jens Bergensten (recognized to most Minecraft gamers as Jeb) responded to a comment about the takedown on Bluesky, stating that he was not conscious and is now “investigating.” Roughly 12 hours later, Allumeria‘s Steam page has been reinstated.
“Microsoft has withdrawn their DMCA claim!” Unomelon posted earlier today. “The game is back up on Steam! Allumeria is back! Thank you EVERYONE for your support. It’s onerous to grasp {that a} single submit in my discord would result in so many individuals expressing help.”
Regardless of the repair, a demo for the sport is working to some licensing points as gamers attempt to obtain it, nevertheless it’s a greater consequence than making an attempt to counter-claim the DMCA in the course of the February 2026 Steam Subsequent Fest Unomelon was making ready the sport for.
“[The takedown] may help boost the games popularity but it also comes with significant risk,” they informed Kotaku. “Filing a counter claim opens me up to a lawsuit which could be potentially devastating. So even if everything works out, I would still rather the DMCA takedown never have happened in the first place.”
Microsoft didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
