Ten years back, logging onto a gaming console opens to a geometric world. In front of you, a small plain with oak trees and a single cow in the distance. The only character option available was “Steve,” dressed in his iconic teal shirt and blue pants. For hours, it is just Minecraft Steve against the monsters of the night, punching tree blocks and building dirt houses. 

Now, this block world has become a cinematic universe thanks to many updates and the genius acting of the Dream SMP.

The Dream SMP or the survival multiplayer Minecraft server was created by the popular Youtuber, Dream. Minecraft servers allow players to play together with friends or strangers, working together to build up one world. 

What sets the Dream SMP apart from other servers is the heavy lore and roleplay the server members perform, acting as a cast in a series, with plot points that link together and develop the characters,  rather than a group of people playing a game. The term “lore” is often used by members of the SMP to describe the story or narrative they are creating and the story itself has extreme intrigue. The “cast” is made up of 33 popular gamers and online personalities including Dream, GeorgeNotFound, Technoblade and CaptainPuffy.

By creating content together on one server, these creators have been able to boost each other’s fan bases as they feature each other in their videos. Dream himself has amassed over 20 million subscribers but over half the other members have over a million as well. GeorgeNotFound has 7 million subscribers, Skeppy has 5 million, and TommyInnit has 8 million.

Plot points like the creation of the fictional country of L’manburg, elections, drug rings, exile, and a mysterious egg have created a more involved entertainment source than acclaimed shows such as “The Flash.” 

When it comes to comparing the Dream SMP to an actual cinematic experience, the best example is Quakity’s recent Las Nevadas series featured on the QuakityVODS channel and titled “Quackity Confronts Wilbur and George,” as it shows his slow rise to power and character development through fantastically edited roleplay. They feature the signature block people but in a way that it is easy to forget all of it is recorded on Minecraft.

Although it focuses heavily on storytelling, the real draw is the lovable personalities of the members. The server is one giant collab, rotating based on which creators are on the server at the time, and even having all the members on at once for events such as the L’Manberg Festival, that was intended to celebrate democracy and peace within the server. Everyone has a character they favor. 

The Dream SMP also is free to watch and available on multiple platforms. Most of the members such as TommyInnit and Ranboo premiere their lore streams on Twitch, a live-streaming platform for gamers. Other creators like Technoblade stream from YouTube directly, however, Twitch streamers will share the streams on YouTube as a video on demand after its recording. This system gives the Dream SMP a more personal feel, which you are able to interact with the content creators as they are creating the content through the chat options available through both platforms. Outside of the SMP, many of the members also dominate other social media platforms such as TikTok, Twitter and Instagram, allowing them to expand their reach. 

Outside of the amazing storyline and cast, the fanbase makes joining the Dream SMP fanbase completely worth it, even for those who have never played Minecraft before. With so many different creators, fans typically choose their favorite but still get along outside of their groups. 

Artists of the SMP have a particularly difficult job, trying to make block figures look exciting, but they pull it off. Especially artists of Technoblade who make the two-block tall anarchist pig look like a pink-haired king. Additionally, animators make the story of the Dream SMP come to life even more than it does on its own. Well-renowned in the community is the animator SAD-ist who compiles voice-overs from streams with her own animation to tell important plot points in five-minute-or-less videos, with her most recent work, “Hog Hunt,” amassing almost 12 million views in only three weeks. 

At first, the extensive plot and everyday streams may seem like a lot to watch, but it is worth it. Even if you cannot keep up with the constant flow of content, all the videos the Dream SMP creates are funny and enjoyable to watch regardless of whether or not you know about the Camaravan drug trade that started L’Manburg or not.