A downloadable update to the popular Minecraft video game that encouraged players to participate in social justice protests has resurfaced, and social media users are livid.
Amid Black History Month and the ongoing anti-United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests, the official Minecraft X account posted about the free “Lessons in Good Trouble” update on Monday afternoon. Atlanta developers Felisa Ford and Natasha Rachell launched “Lessons in Good Trouble” in 2020, and Minecraft issued an updated re-release last year.
The DLC allows players to participate in various social justice movements in the United States and internationally, ranging from the Civil Rights Movement to Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent protests. John Lewis, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Emmeline Pankhurst are among the other notable civil rights figures featured in the DLC.
“From the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to the streets of modern-day protests, Lessons in Good Trouble allows young people to experience firsthand how peaceful resistance can transform our world,” Minecraft’s official website reads.
Want to change the world IRL? Start in Minecraft.
In the free Good Trouble DLC, explore global civil rights movements, meet changemakers, and learn how to stand up, speak out, and build a better world.
Download from the @MinecraftMarket: https://t.co/ajS0X9TEaZ pic.twitter.com/Fc2WV5747D
— Minecraft (@Minecraft) February 2, 2026
The reference to “modern-day protests” drew fierce backlash on social media, with users blasting the game and accusing it of encouraging violence. Although Minecraft promoted the DLC on Monday, there is no indication that the game has been updated to include content such as anti-ICE protests.
Libs of TikTok warned parents to “beware.” Minecraft had not publicly addressed the criticism as of publication, though the official X account around roughly 4 p.m. ET. The Minecraft post promoting the DLC had over 4.5 million views within its first four hours on X.
“Oh that’s real nice,” one X user sarcastically wrote. “Propaganda in my block game.” They weren’t alone, as a glance at the replies shows no shortage of the word “propaganda.”
Another response read, “Nothing creepy about slipping political messaging into a game for 8-year-olds and calling it ‘Good Trouble.’ Totally normal. Definitely not weird.”
I love Minecraft, but seriously, the game is for all ages, and a large part of its community is made up of children. So why are you putting politics into a game where a large part of the community is made up of children https://t.co/lsMzvr5iOp
— aligade🇪🇬🇯🇵☪️🇵🇸🎮 (@aligade3) February 2, 2026
Gameplay footage online includes clear references to the Black Lives Matter movement, including an external link to its website. An in-game activist also mentions how BLM was created to “seek justice following the acquittal of the person who killed teenager Trayvon Martin.” George Zimmerman, a volunteer Neighborhood Watch member, shot Martin in February 2012 in what Zimmerman claimed was self-defense.
Although Zimmerman was questioned by investigators for several hours, police initially declined to arrest him under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law. A jury acquitted Zimmerman of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in July 2013.
Additionally, the update clearly portrays law enforcement as antagonists. Officers are shown behind blockades with riot shields.
“Bring back Super Mario!” an X user commented. “Why are politics and sex being injected into everything kids do now? We will soon have a population of youth who will only view the world through an activist lens.”
Minecraft remains the best-selling video game in history and is available on various platforms, including PlayStation 5, Xbox, PC, and mobile devices.
