Minecraft is the best-selling recreation ever, so it’s naturally impressed dozens of Minecraft-like clones and similar-looking, voxel-based crafting sims over the previous 15 or so years. Many have survived with none criticism from Microsoft. However earlier this week, an upcoming Steam recreation referred to as Allumeria was briefly taken down over a single screenshot. On Tuesday, the developer behind the Minecraft-looking, dungeon raiding sandbox introduced that their recreation had been taken down from Valve’s storefront as a result of a DMCA copyright discover issued by Microsoft. The discover, shared by developer Unomelon within the recreation’s Discord server, accused Allumeria of utilizing “Minecraft content material, together with however not restricted to gameplay and property.”
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 timber, tall grass, a blue sky, and pumpkins: all issues which can be in Minecraft but in addition in actual life and many different video games. The sport does look fairly much like Minecraft, however 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. Hey everybody. The Allumeria Steam web page is presently down as a result of Microsoft has filed a false DMCA declare on it. They despatched an e-mail earlier at this time claiming that this screenshot infringes on their copyright. I’m taking a second to determine what my path goes ahead, will replace quickly. #gamedev — Unomelon (@unomelon.bsky.social) 2026-02-10T07:53:32.655Z 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 deal with boss fights, loot, an in-depth cave system, and extra customizable decorations. It’s additionally shocking that Allumeria was hit when lately launched Hytale, which accurately grew out of a Minecraft server and appears like an excellent polished texture pack, has been allowed to thrive seemingly with out challenge.
Letting AI automate takedown claims Developer Unomelon advised me by way of Discord that the declare was issued by way of Tracer.AI, an AI platform used to mechanically 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 concerning the takedown, in addition to YouTube movies about Minecraft itself.
Whereas it’s unclear if the declare was issued mechanically or deliberately, Mojang Chief Artistic Officer Jens Bergensten (identified to most Minecraft gamers as Jeb) responded to a remark concerning the takedown on Bluesky, stating that he was not conscious and is now “investigating.” Roughly 12 hours later, Allumeria‘s Steam web page has been reinstated. Microsoft has withdrawn their DMCA declare! The sport is again up on Steam! Allumeria is again! Thanks EVERYONE on your help. It is onerous to grasp {that a} single put up in my discord would result in so many individuals expressing help. Thanks <3 #gamedev #indiedev — Unomelon (@unomelon.bsky.social) 2026-02-11T05:17:45.843Z “Microsoft has withdrawn their DMCA declare!” Unomelon posted earlier at this time. “The sport is again up on Steam! Allumeria is again! Thanks EVERYONE on your help. It’s onerous to grasp {that a} single put up in my discord would result in so many individuals expressing help.”
Regardless of the repair, a demo for the sport is operating to some licensing points as gamers attempt to obtain it, however it’s a greater consequence than attempting to counter-claim the DMCA throughout the February 2026 Steam Subsequent Fest Unomelon was making ready the sport for. “[The takedown] could assist increase the video games recognition however it additionally comes with important danger,” they advised Kotaku. “Submitting a counter declare opens me as much as a lawsuit which could possibly be probably devastating. So even when all the things works out, I might nonetheless fairly the DMCA takedown by no means have occurred within the first place.” Microsoft didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
