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Is Minecraft Good For Kids? What Parents Need To Know

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Minecraft

Key Takeaways

  • Minecraft is a safe and educational game that encourages creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving.
  • Privacy and online safety concerns exist, especially in multiplayer mode where kids may interact with strangers.
  • Excessive screen time can be an issue, so setting limits is essential for healthy gaming habits.
  • Mods and third-party downloads may contain malware, so parents should ensure kids download from trusted sources.

Introduction

In May 2023, a group hacked some of the most popular Minecraft mods. This begs the question of whether your children’s privacy is at risk? And most importantly, what is Minecraft doing to protect children below the age of 18. 

In this blog, we will answer such questions in detail!!

So, What Is Minecraft? And How Do Kids Play It?

It’s important to get through the basics first if you are really worried about your children’s privacy in the online world. 

Basically, Minecraft invites players into a sprawling, open-ended 3D universe where they can explore, create, and connect with others. It’s a sandbox that allows players to gather resources, construct buildings, and craft items. 

The real charm of Minecraft lies in the creativity and freedom it offers. Kids are drawn to it because they can mold the world to their liking, free from the stress of competition. It’s a game that fosters imagination, problem-solving, and teamwork—it’s also a valuable learning opportunity. 

There’s nothing inherently wrong with Minecraft that should be a cause of worry for your child but Minecraft has its own mods, slangs that every parent should know for their child’s safety.

Also Read: What Does “GG” Mean in Roblox?

Educational Benefits Of Minecraft

Benefits Of Minecraft

Let’s start with the good things like Minecraft’s wider goal and positive aspects. 

Unlike a lot of video games that have strict missions, Minecraft opens up a whole world where kids can let their imaginations run wild. They can build everything from massive castles to fully functional roller coasters, picking up important design and engineering skills along the way—often without even realizing they’re learning!

But it’s not just about the building aspect. Minecraft also teaches kids about problem-solving and managing resources, especially in Survival Mode. Here, players need to gather materials, craft tools, and defend themselves against enemies. If they don’t think ahead, they could end up stuck outside at night without a safe place to hide—or worse, face a swarm of zombies! These kinds of challenges really push kids to think critically and come up with strategies, much like they would in real-life situations.

And for parents who want a more organized learning experience for their child should opt for Minecraft: Education Edition. It brings subjects like coding, history, math, and even chemistry to life in a fun and interactive way. A fun fact- Classrooms around the globe have started using it to turn learning into an exciting adventure rather than a tedious task.

So, even though it might look like just another video game, Minecraft can actually teach your child to think like an architect, plan like an engineer, and work together like a team leader—all while having a blast.

Also Read: How To Use Gimkit – A Beginner Guide

Potential Risks And Concerns For Parents

Potential Risks And Concerns For Parents in minecraft

Positives aside, there are things in Minecraft that you should be aware as parents for your children’s safety:

Online Interactions And Stranger Danger

Minecraft’s multiplayer mode is great!! It’s a way for kids to connect with friends or even meet new people in the virtual world. While it teaches a great lesson in cooperation and teamwork, it also brings the risk of cyberbullying and unwanted interactions. A study from Internet Matters in 2022 revealed that a staggering 60% of kids have faced some form of online harassment while playing multiplayer games.

So, what can you do? If your child enjoys playing online, make sure they’re on a private server with friends instead of in public lobbies where anyone can jump in. It’s also important to enable chat filters and have conversations with your child about online safety—like the importance of never sharing personal information. 

Screen Time And Addiction

Minecraft is vast and endless, and simply put, amazing!! The developers have built a world that really draws people in—so much so that they find it tough to tear themselves away. The World Health Organization has even acknowledged gaming disorder as a legitimate issue, where too much gaming disrupts everyday life. While Minecraft itself isn’t necessarily addictive, its open-ended nature makes it tricky for kids to know when to call it quits.

But here’s a simple solution:- Keep screen time to no more than 1-2 hours a day for kids. You can use parental controls (that we will tell you about in detail) or simply setting a timer can help avoid those late-night mining sessions.

Mods And Downloads: A Playground For Fun (And Malware)

Minecraft has mods!! They are custom tweaks that bring in new characters, mechanics, and even some educational tools. But here’s the catch: most of the mods on Minecraft are not official. And they often come from sketchy third-party sites, where malware and viruses can hide. 

We recommend you to teach children to always stick to trusted sources like the Minecraft Marketplace or CurseForge when downloading mods. It’s a good idea to encourage kids to check in with you before they install anything new, and don’t forget to keep that antivirus software up to date! 

Also Read: Which Hand Do You Wear A Golf Glove On?

In-Game Purchases: Every Adult’s Nightmare

Have you ever had an unexpected notification of money debiting towards an unwarranted purchase? If yes, then that could be your child spending it all away on Minecraft. While the base version is free, there are plenty of things offered in-game to spend on. 

The options range from texture packs, skins and maps, which typically range from 100 to 1,500 Minecoins (that’s Minecraft’s virtual currency, by the way). Just to give you an idea, 1,720 Minecoins will set you back about $10. These purchases aren’t necessary to enjoy the game, but some kids, under peer pressure, are more tempted to spend a little on customizing their experience.

Violence And Scary Elements

There is no GTA like violence going on here and Minecraft is a pretty non-violent game overall. But Minecraft’s survival mode features some pretty scary creatures like zombies, skeletons, and Endermen, which can be a bit much for younger kids. While the pixelated combat isn’t too intense, some children still feel uneasy—especially when they’re in dark caves or facing off against foes at night.

If your child is a bit sensitive to those spooky elements, Creative Mode is a great option. It takes away all the threats and lets them explore the world at their own pace.

Setting Up Parental Controls And Safety Measures

Parental Controls And Safety Measures

We have some pointers that can help you as a parent to protect your child. 

Setting Up Child-Friendly Accounts

First things first—if your child is gaming on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC, it’s essential to set up a child account through Microsoft Family Safety. This allows you to manage their screen time, block purchases, and filter their online interactions. For mobile devices, you can use Google Family Link or Apple Screen Time. Just go to the settings and you will be able to access parental settings. 

Controlling Online Interactions

When it comes to Minecraft, there are two modes: single-player (which is pretty safe) and multiplayer (the one we mentioned above). Whenever your child is diving into the online world, make sure to adjust the privacy settings in their Microsoft account to limit chatting with strangers. Plus, Minecraft now offers Realms that lets kids play only with their approved friends, family members etc.

Monitoring Playtime

You know that classic line, “Just five more minutes!” that somehow turns into two hours? Setting time limits using Xbox Family Settings or your device’s screen time features will help keep gaming in check and ensure it stays within a healthy range.

Also Read: Godot Engine vs Unity: Which is Best

Conclusion

Congrats!! Now you are an informed parent. Asking kids to stop playing games altogether is never a good idea. So just use our tips and guides next time your kid is playing Minecraft.

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Upcoming MMO Pax Dei Throws Players into a Different Realm of History, Legend, and Myth

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MMO Pax Dei Throws Players

The MMO landscape continues to expand each year, with most new entries falling into one of two categories. You could be invited onboard a spacecraft to explore the vast expanse of space and make use of futuristic and even alien technologies.

Or, the game will throw you into a high-fantasy landscape to see how you cope with spells and swords. Both continue to prove to be wildly popular, so the continued stream of tweaks to the formula makes sense. Pax Dei is taking a slightly different approach to this, particularly pivoting on the popular fantasy formula for modern MMOs.

The MMO Scene’s Getting a lot of High Fantasy

MMO Scene’s
Source: Pixabay

High fantasy has long offered a thrilling space for players of all game types to explore. Often drawing heavily on European lore, you’ll find great monsters, the choice between using spells or swords, and sprawling landscapes that are best traversed on horseback, or perhaps dragon.

We have several new and upcoming MMOs that hope to muscle in on this populated space. After the story of the century in gaming that is No Man’s Sky, the developers are pivoting to a fantasy setting the scale of Earth in Light No Fire. Then, there’s Ashes of Creation, which is a high-fantasy world with corrupted areas and real-world biomes.

Alongside these two, fantasy enthusiasts can look forward to Chrono Odyssey at the end of next year, probably, to explore the war-torn fantasy realm of Setera, which is experiencing dimensional instability. Plus, there’s Monster and Memories, which will be an entirely new universe that’s rooted in Western high fantasy tropes.

Although these examples aren’t particularly grounded in medieval settings and the legends that surrounded the people of the time, fantasy does draw a lot from these settings. Indeed, the ancient myths and medieval legends themselves can offer an incredibly engaging gaming space, as shown in a different corner of online gaming.

Among the most popular progressive slot machines, where the jackpots increase with every player’s spin, there’s a huge assortment of myth and medieval slots. Dragon’s Dawn stars Merlin and, of course, fire-breathing flying reptiles. Then there’s the Age of the Gods series, Book of Cleopatra, and Stone Gaze of Medusa. These examples highlight the enduring appeal of myths and legends in gaming.

Leaning into the Medieval Setting for its MMO

Pax Dei, meaning “Peace of God” in Latin set out some 20 years ago with a clear goal. They wanted to have an open sandbox world inspired by medieval myths as well as a fully open economy driven by players. In 2019, they began to realise this vision, and in June 2024, Pax Dei entered Early Access on Steam, ready to build with the community.

Also pivoting from some MMO structures, Pax Dei places the emphasis on collaboration and socialising within its medieval world. Players will be able to build their own settlements and bolster their economies through building trade routes and managing resources through deals struck in-game.

Still building out the full experience to enable players to govern the world, the team has penned some lore for their medieval world. Among the scrolls published so far, four are titled Merlin on the Fay, linking back to the medieval setting and their desire to draw in the legends of the age.

Pax Dei is still deep in the development stage of its ambitious project, but when it’s ready to launch fully, players will have the opportunity to experience a distinctive medieval MMO shaped by both developers and community.

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How to Increase Your Match Winning Percentage in EA SPORTS FC 26

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EA SPORTS FC 26

FC 26 is the sequel to the iconic football game series, where players must choose their club and lead them to divisional victories and numerous tournaments, including the Champions League and European competitions, as well as personal tournaments from EA Sports.

Several parameters influence your success in a duel, some of them physical, some abstract, but you still go through each one. Factors affecting success in matches:

  • Performers
  • Mood
  • Understanding tactics and strategy

Performers

Players always start the game in EA SPORTS FC 26 with a weak squad and a basic set of 10 random players, with some luck, some not. You can always use the FC 26 coins to buy professional players to make your team stronger and replenish your supply of coins for more attempts for a more comfortable start.

Start with Bronze and Silver players

Bronze and Silver players are relatively good when you’re just starting, and you come across opponents with the same set of players, but in tournaments and higher divisions, you will come across strong players with good selection of performers, and they will be head and shoulders stronger, if not due to skills, then due to speed and accuracy of strikes for sure.

In order to win back the balls and generally prevent a situation where you are behind on goals, you should take care of your playing line-up of performers and strengthen them as soon as possible. Complete basic game tasks and earn coins, with which you will open sets with random players or buy specific performers from other players.

Don’t Rush for Gold and Cards

At the first stages, I do not advise chasing gold and special cards, because they are much more expensive, and for the amount of coins that you spend on a random special player, it will be enough for a basic silver composition, and it’s not a fact that you will come across a really valuable performer.

Invest in a good silver line-up that will take you to higher places in tournaments and gradually upgrade the performers one by one in one of the above ways – by buying in the transfer window, or by playing for luck.

If you are already in a falling behind situation, then exhale and move on to ball control and quick tackle tactics – this will require a reserve of strength from your players, but this way you can gradually shift the game to the enemy goal, which will add chances to win back the ball and with a repeat of the strategy, get out forward.

Mood

The mood in the spirit of everything is lost will not bring you victory; therefore, in this situation, control over the situation will help.

Exhale – a missed goal has already happened, and set yourself up for a cold-blooded fight. Make substitutions if necessary and take control of the game – it’s possible even against a very strong opponent if you do it right and follow simple rules.

Your movements must be precise, precise and make your opponent react to them. Step back from pressure, or kick the ball to the opposite flank – don’t be afraid to lose the ball, but don’t just give it away either. Playing football, and even more so virtual football, is a battle of character and mental forces; even with an inferior squad, you can win with a devastating score, and even more so, win back the balls.

Your main task is to control yourself and your actions, and infuriate your opponent, forcing you to make mistakes, fouls, and just make unnecessary mistakes. Football is a game of situations, and the more cold-blooded you are, the more and more often such moments will be in your favor.

Understanding tactics and strategy

Tactics and strategy play a key role in any match and allow you to control the course of the match and generally avoid most mistakes, simply by understanding what your players are doing and why.

Tactics

1. Attacking

Aggressive football with a lot of passing in the center of the field and, in general, the interaction between the players at all stages of the transfer of the game to the enemy’s goal. Bright representatives, for example, Barcelona at the time of Pep Guardiola. When the ball is lost, strong pressure is applied due to the number of players. Do not use tackles unless necessary – they very often lead to yellow cards, and within their gates to removal and penalties.

2. Defensive

Such a strategy holds back teams with strong performers and prevents them from shooting on goal, except for long-range shots, which are not effective in general. In an advantageous situation, the opposing team has control of the ball but cannot do anything offensively. The emphasis in this game is on the counterattack. A prime example is Atlético Madrid under Diego Simeone.

Strategy

  • 4-3-3 – classic
  • 4-4-2 – aggression in the center of the field. 4 midfielders.
  • 5-4-1 – defensive football. 5 defenders, 4 midfielders for counterattacks and control of the field, and one forward – the game leader and always ready to finish the counterattack with a goal.

Final Words

To increase your match-winning percentage in EA SPORTS FC 26, focus on building a strong silver squad early, mastering the gameplay, and applying smart tactics based on your opponent. Stay composed, adapt your strategy, and use every opportunity to outplay and outthink your rivals.

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10 Rarest Fortnite Emotes: From Collectibles To Rare Ones!! 

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Fortnite Emotes

Key Takeaways

  • Fortnite has over 700 emotes, but only a handful have become truly rare collectibles.
  • Most rare emotes are gone due to copyright issues, limited-time events, or Epic Games vaulting them indefinitely.
  • Spotting these emotes in 2025 is like finding a Fortnite OG flexing their legacy.

Introduction

There are over 700 Fortnite emotes and only 10 percent are used. This makes the rest 630 pretty rare. But here, we are talking about the rarest of all. Only the emotes used by the top 1% of people. 

10 Rarest Fortnite Emotes

Fresh

Fresh

The Fresh emote takes its cue from Carlton’s iconic dance in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airm made its debut in Season 1 of Fortnite’s Item Shop. It was last seen in January 2018 before being taken down, probably due to copyright concerns. 

And we all loved busting it out to celebrate eliminations with a fun, nostalgic groove. Its rarity comes from Epic Games just one day deciding to pull it from circulation for good, meaning you can’t get your hands on it anymore. And plus, only the early players have it. It has turned into a badge of honor for OG Fortnite fans.

Tidy

Tidy

The Tidy emote is inspired by Snoop Dogg’s iconic “Drop It Like It’s Hot” dance which made its debut back in April 2018. It was last seen in December 2018 before it was pulled due to copyright issues. It was basically a relaxed victory dance that happened after securing kills or wins. It had that cool, laid-back vibe. 

Its scarcity comes from Epic’s choice not to reintroduce it. This made Tidy one of the rarest and most memorable emotes.

Also Read: How Long Does it Take to Download Fortnite on PC

Rambunctious

Rambunctious

It was released back in May 2018 in the Epic store. Rambunctious is a lively, high-energy dance that draws inspiration from Will Smith’s iconic moves in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. It made its last appearance in the Item Shop in November 2018 and has since vanished indefinitely. 

It was fun to use it to comedic effect during downtime or to tease their opponents. Its rarity stems from ongoing legal battles over dance copyrights, which led Epic to pull it from circulation for good. 

On The Hook

On The Hook

The On the Hook emote made its epic debut back in June 2018 and was last seen in August 2019. It was basically a fishing-themed emote which became a favorite for trolling opponents, especially after taking them down. It playfully mimicked the act of “hooking” them in. 

Unlike some emotes that are restricted by copyright, its rarity comes from Epic not bringing it back for years, even with fans eagerly asking for its return. Its long absence has turned it into a coveted item, and many players think it might never come back, which only adds to its allure. Those lucky enough to have it are proudly showing a little piece of Fortnite history.

Hot Marat

Hot Marat

The Hot Marat emote made its debut as a free promotional item back in December 2018, coinciding with the release of Disney’s Ralph Breaks the Internet. 

It was available for a limited time and was never put up for sale in the Item Shop. Players used it to show off its exclusivity, as it was part of a special crossover event. Its rarity stems from being free, time-limited, and exclusive to that event. Unfortunately, anyone who missed that brief opportunity will never be able to unlock it again.

Also Read: Why does Fortnite Keep Crashing? [7 Quick Fixes]

Kiss The Cup

Kiss The Cup

Ahh, the legendary emote that was released back in July 2018 to mark the FIFA World Cup. Kiss the Cup allowed players to lift a shiny golden trophy and celebrate their hard-earned victories. This remote was only available for a limited time, directly linked to the event, and it hasn’t made a comeback since. Players showed off by winning matches, and famously flaunting their “champion” status. Its rarity stems from being exclusive to that one promotional period, if you missed out, well, that’s just too bad. Nowadays, spotting someone using Kiss the Cup is like finding a unicorn; it instantly shouts, “Yep, I’ve been around since the early days.” 

Rawr

Rawr

The Rawr emote had players channeling their inner dinosaur with some hilarious clawing and stomping moves. Although it was a bit silly, it quickly became a go-to for taunting opponents and showcasing personality during matches. The last time we saw it was in November 2019, and for some mysterious reason, Epic just hasn’t brought it back since. Its rarity adds to its charm which makes it a fun little piece of Fortnite history. Anyone who pulls off the Rawr today will surely recognize the veteran stomping around the island for years! 

Flatfooted

Introduced back in 2019, Flatfooted was this super smooth breakdancing emote that brought style to the lobbies. It wasn’t linked to any promotion or legal issues, but for some reason, it just vanished from the Item Shop after early 2020. We loved busting it out to show off their rhythm and make a statement in matches. Its rarity isn’t due to any drama, it’s just Epic stashing it away in the vault and forgetting about it. And now it feels like running into an old friend who just dropped off the radar. 

Zany

Zany

The Zany emote made its debut back in May 2018. It’s bright, silly, and completely off-the-wall, which obviously made it a favorite for players looking to lighten the atmosphere or playfully mess with their opponents after a takedown. It last popped up in March 2019 and has been MIA ever since. It had a  vibrant appeal and eccentric moves, its scarcity seems almost deliberate, like Epic wants to keep it as a beloved cult classic. If you spot the Zany emote in a match today, consider yourself lucky; you’ve just uncovered a hidden treasure!

Also Read: Top 10 Fortnite Dropper Codes for Epic Challenges

Drum Major

Drum Major

Drum Major was a hilarious way to celebrate or just goof off with friends. The last time we saw it was in February 2019, and it hasn’t made a comeback since. What sets it apart is its sheer uniqueness, no other emote quite captures that wonderfully ridiculous vibe. Players who have it love to whip it out in lobbies to steal the spotlight, making Drum Major one of the flashiest rare emotes you’ll hardly ever come across these days. 

Conclusion

Now you know the rare but not forgotten emotes. Hopefully this tells you about what you lost overtime and how Fortnite became the topmost game in the industry.

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