I enjoy Minecraft (well, modded at least, but you get the point). I also enjoy Pokémon—I remember playing one of the handheld games as a child. I won against the Elite Four and the Champion on my GameBoy Color, and I enjoyed playing the version that was set in the Orre region, though I never finished it. Imagine if you could enjoy aspects of Pokémon in Minecraft safely and legally—what adventures could you come up with, and what sorts of battles you could have, both against wild Pokémon and in multiplayer, against other trainers! You could build your own Pokémon center—make it as big as you wanted, as long as you had the materials! You could maybe even challenge gyms that spawned in villages and earn a unique reward when you won—or even a badge toward a bigger battle with the ultimate reward. The possibilities would be nearly endless!

The history of unauthorized Pokémon mods goes back a few years. The first unauthorized Pokémon mod, Pixelmon, did not have a good reputation with the community at large due to hidden code that allowed the developers to shut down servers that didn’t follow their rules—not Mojang’s or The Pokémon Company’s, but theirs. Due to this, and their use of copyrighted materials such as sounds and images, the developers were sent a cease and desist letter from Mojang in 2017, which they complied with. However, the mod has been revived several times since then by others after the base code was leaked. Pixelmon Reforged, Pixelmon Generations, and Cobblemon are three more unauthorized Pokémon mods for Minecraft, but sooner or later, I bet that Nintendo and/or The Pokémon Company will move to shut them down to protect their intellectual property, which they need to do in order to safeguard it.

I believe there is a way to get an authorized Pokémon mod for Minecraft. Yes, monetization is a factor that would appeal to Nintendo and The Pokémon Company (as they are both driven by profit), but I don’t think it should be the key aspect. Instead, an authorized mod would help their companies stay relevant and open Pokémon up to people who have never heard of the anime, games (both card and video), or manga. There could even eventually be a Pokémon World Championship tournament like there was in the anime—imagine seeing someone acknowledged as the best player of the game! Right now, this is impossible with the mods not being authorized. Additionally, an authorized mod could be trusted by the community to not have malicious code that would harm your game, and it would be compatible with the version it was designed for.

Personally, I will only ever support an authorized version of Pokémon as a mod for Minecraft and not include it in my Minecraft video series until this is accomplished. This aligns with my goals of making my content both family-friendly and ethical. I use tools like the YouTube Audio Library and Content ID to ensure that I am compliant with copyright at all times in my productions. If I’m uncertain about whether or not I can include something, I keep it out. For example, I encountered issues with copyright using Pretzel Rocks for my livestreams to provide background music, so I decided to stop using it. I’d rather use the normal Minecraft music (which I know is safe to use) than deal with the hassle of copyright claims on my livestream VODs. I have chosen in the past not to post videos when they went against these principles, and I will do so again in the future—you can count on it!

Once again, I call for an authorized Pokémon mod for Minecraft—just imagine the possibilities and how it could extend the shelf life of both games with such support! An official mod would not only ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for players but also foster a thriving community of Pokémon and Minecraft fans. It would open up new creative and competitive opportunities, from building intricate Pokémon-themed structures to participating in epic battles and tournaments. By supporting an authorized mod, we can encourage Nintendo and The Pokémon Company to collaborate with Mojang and bring this dream to life. Together, let’s advocate for a mod that respects intellectual property, enhances our gaming adventures, and paves the way for even greater innovations in the future. Join me in this call to action, and let’s make our voices heard!