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The Extensive History of Planet of Cubes (PoC)
The Birth of Planet of Cubes (2016): Foundation of a Digital Universe
The story of Planet of Cubes (PoC) began in 2016, a year when the landscape of online multiplayer games was beginning to flourish with a variety of sandbox-style experiences. However, PoC’s distinct vision was to provide a voxel-based universe that could cater not just to fans of building games, but to those who craved the experience of collaborating, competing, and thriving in a dynamic, ever-evolving world.
Released officially on June 7, 2016, PoC emerged in an era dominated by titles like Minecraft, Roblox, and Terraria, yet it managed to carve out a niche for itself through its cross-platform multiplayer, easy accessibility, and the flexibility it provided players to create their worlds, design intricate buildings, and partake in massive cooperative or competitive events. This accessibility was key to its early success — PoC could be played on mobile devices, tablets, and computers, creating a vast global player base from the very beginning. The game’s simplicity allowed anyone with a basic understanding of sandbox mechanics to jump in and start building immediately, but it was the community dynamics that truly propelled it forward.
In the early days, the game’s world was limited in scope. Players could mine resources, create structures, and explorethe vast, procedurally generated environments. There was no overarching goal; instead, the game operated as an open-ended platform for personal creativity. This kind of freedom sparked a sense of exploration and discovery, as players ventured into the unknown to carve their own niche in the world. At the heart of it all was the voxel-based world, a landscape of infinite possibility. But the beauty of PoC’s charm lay not in the blocks themselves, but in the people behind them.
The Emergence of the First Communities (2016-2017)
As PoC continued to grow, something powerful began to happen — players began to organize themselves into groups. What started as informal collaborations quickly evolved into tightly-knit clans and factions. These groups not only built together but began to shape the social landscape of PoC.
The Defender’s Clan, formed in 2016, became one of the first major in-game factions to leave a lasting legacy. The clan was built on values of cooperation, competition, and creativity. The players in this clan, particularly Hakuin and Towsey, worked tirelessly to establish a presence within PoC’s world. They constructed sprawling fortresses, complex bridges, and defensive structures, claiming territory in the name of their faction. In doing so, they helped establish a key feature that would define PoC’s ongoing evolution: territorial competition.
The success of the Defender’s Clan sparked a ripple effect within the game. Other players, inspired by their efforts, began to create their own clans. Groups like Builders of the East and Masters of the West soon sprang up. These clans weren’t just interested in building; they were now involved in a larger, more elaborate social struggle — vying for dominance in a world where territory was power.
Clans played a central role in shaping the community. While building projects flourished, it was the growing number of inter-clan rivalries and alliances that brought the game to life. The battles between clans became legendary. The Defender’s Clan went toe-to-toe with the Builders of the East in the Battle of the Blue Towers, a multi-day contest over the control of a towering structure that stretched across multiple maps. The battle wasn’t just about constructing the tallest building but about establishing dominance within the community — a power struggle that made players more invested in the game’s progression. The rivalry between these early clans was emblematic of what PoC would evolve into: not just a sandbox but a dynamic world full of rich, player-driven stories.
Building the Social Infrastructure (2017-2018)
The early years of PoC saw the formation of a self-sustaining community. As clans formed and rivalries deepened, there was a clear need for communication and organization. In 2017, the PoC community expanded with the official forums, where players could discuss strategies, share creations, and organize large-scale in-game events. The forums became the central hub of PoC's social interactions, and in many ways, it marked the birth of PoC’s digital culture.
During this time, PoC introduced features that allowed for greater customization. Players could now create more complex structures and worlds, building entire civilizations, floating islands, and labyrinthine cities. This period also marked the rise of custom maps, where players could create private, personalized worlds. These worlds were often used to host events, such as races, puzzles, or cooperative building challenges. Event-driven gameplay became a significant part of PoC, and it was here that custom events began to take on real meaning.
The first major custom map to make waves was HexaCity, a sprawling urban landscape built by players in early 2018. The city’s aesthetic beauty and the interactive puzzles it contained attracted players from all over the world. It was designed not just as a place for exploration but as a living, breathing world that encouraged cooperation, discovery, and creativity. Luxus, a player and budding map designer, took charge of the world’s story and turned it into an unforgettable event where every building, street, and hidden passage contributed to the narrative. The success of HexaCity marked the birth of a trend in PoC — event-driven storytelling.
It was around this time that PoC’s community began to embrace narrative-building. Clans didn’t just build structures — they told stories. The Defender’s Clan, for example, began crafting the Saga of the Fallen Towers, a fictional history in which their clan was the last bastion standing after an epic war between the East and West. This storytelling turned PoC into something more than just a sandbox; it became a platform for collaborative narratives. PoC was no longer just about what you could build — it was about what you could create with others.
The Battle for Dominance and the Emergence of New Alliances (2018-2019)
In 2018, PoC began to grow at an exponential rate, both in terms of its active player base and its game mechanics. The developers began to release more advanced updates, and this sparked a period of intense competition. Player-run eventslike the Great Pyramid Build challenged clans to come together and create the tallest pyramid within a set time limit. These events were immensely popular, as they tested the teamwork, strategy, and resourcefulness of clans.
The Defender’s Clan continued to rise in influence, but other factions like The Steel Legion, The Sky Knights, and Redstone Rebels were quick to challenge them. As PoC became more complex, players began creating large-scale networks of cities linked together by trade routes, creating a sense of shared economy within the game world. Some clans even created in-game currencies, enabling them to trade resources and artifacts across maps. The Steel Legion, for example, established a black market that allowed players to purchase rare building materials and powerful tools. These in-game economies added depth to the social experience of PoC and made each clan's territory more than just a physical area; it was a resource hub.
Around this time, PoC’s global reach began to truly take shape. Players from various countries — including the US, Russia, Germany, and Brazil — began to participate in international events. These events transcended geographical boundaries, and PoC became a cultural phenomenon that brought people together from all corners of the globe. The Battle of the Shimmering Sea, held in late 2018, saw clans from different parts of the world participate in a week-long siege event, where they fought for control over a massive floating fortress in the sky. This event was not only a test of building skills but also a cultural exchange of strategies and tactics.
The Rise of Private Maps and Community-Driven Content (2019-2021)
One of the most important developments in PoC came with the introduction of private maps. Players now had the ability to create custom worlds that could be shared with others. This marked a pivotal moment in the game's history, as players began creating unique experiences that stretched the boundaries of what was previously possible within the game.
Private maps allowed for infinite possibilities. Some players crafted intricate adventure maps with complex quests, treasure hunts, and intricate puzzles, while others focused on creating expansive role-playing worlds where players could immerse themselves in character-driven narratives. The ability to customize maps meant that PoC players were no longer confined to the official game environments but could create entirely new realms that felt more personalized and dynamic.
One of the standout examples of this was Luxusville, a massive, sprawling city designed by Luxus. This city became the hub of PoC’s social life — players flocked there for events, contests, and role-playing activities. The city was filled with hidden treasures, secret passages, and puzzles that kept players engaged for hours. As the map evolved, it became the most celebrated custom map in PoC history, marking the start of a trend where custom content became just as important — if not more so — than the base game itself.
By the early 2020s, community-driven content had become central to PoC’s identity. Players weren’t just buildinganymore; they were creating entire worlds that were personalized to their imagination. These custom worlds allowed for more complex role-playing, collaborative storytelling, and innovative gameplay.
The Birth of PoC Lore and Global Alliances (2021-2023)
By 2021, PoC had evolved from a simple sandbox game to a platform for global cooperation, competition, and storytelling. The sense of global interconnectedness grew as clans, players, and creators from across the world began to form alliances and coalitions that transcended regional boundaries. The International Alliance of Builders (IAB), for example, was a cross-border collaboration of several powerful clans that sought to build the Great Colossus, a monumental structure that would symbolize unity in PoC’s world.
In 2022, PoC entered what some might call its golden age. The game’s lore expanded rapidly, and it was no longer just about individual players or clans — it was about the global narrative. The Great War of 2022 saw alliances formed, broken, and reforged in the fires of conflict, with entire regions of the PoC world being razed and rebuilt. This war spanned several months, with thousands of players participating in a massive global event that impacted the entire game world. The aftermath of the Great War left a permanent mark on PoC’s history, and the maps of those who fought in the conflict became memorials to the battles that had taken place.
PoC’s Legacy and Future (2023-Present)
As PoC approaches the end of its first decade, the game continues to evolve. The introduction of more advanced building tools, updated graphics, and new game modes has helped keep the player base engaged. However, it is the community-driven events, custom worlds, and collaborative storytelling that continue to be the soul of PoC.
Players now celebrate PoC not just as a game but as a shared digital universe. The ongoing saga of PoC’s history is written in blocks, built one structure at a time by players across the world.
Looking ahead, PoC remains a beacon for creativity, collaboration, and community. As long as players continue to build, create, and dream within its world, PoC will live on as a testament to the power of shared digital experiences.