Does Steve Exist in Minecraft: Story Mode? No – Here‘s Why Telltale Created Jesse Instead

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

As an avid Minecraft gamer and industry commentator, one of the most common questions I get asked is: "Can you play as Steve in Minecraft: Story Mode?"

The short answer is no, the iconic default Steve skin and character does not actually appear in Telltale Games‘ narrative spin-off series. But why would developers decide against including one of gaming‘s most recognizable pixelated heroes? As we‘ll explore, there are some fascinating revelations around this decision.

Telltale Opted for a Fresh Perspective Not Beholden to Steve

When sitting down to envision a new story driven take on Minecraft, Telltale‘s writing team felt that having Steve as the protagonist would bring too much established preconceptions around this character.

In their view, Steve‘s personality, background and even his very nature within wider series lore remains intentionally ambiguous to allow players the freedom to imprint their own identity onto him.

So rather than have to dwell too much on canonizing who Steve is or isn‘t within this new game universe, they decided introducing a brand new hero named Jesse would give them creative liberties in shaping this character‘s distinct motivations, relationships and personal journey.

But Who is Steve Really Within Minecraft Lore and Fandom?

While absent directly from this Story Mode adventure, discourse continues around who or what Steve embodies within the greater world and mythology of Minecraft.

For the uninitiated, Steve serves as the default player avatar skin across core Minecraft games – the pixelated protagonist that allows gamers to embark on cubic adventures through procedurally generated biomes and into dark monster-filled caves below.

But ardent franchise fans have other theories on Steve‘s place within this virtual world:

  • The Last Living Human Survivor: Some speculate Steve could represent the final known living human wandering an otherwise deserted world inhabited by outlandish mobs and monsters. His existence may hint at some apocalyptic events that destroyed most of civilization, the remnants of which Steve occasionally stumbles upon in long abandoned mineshafts and strongholds.

  • An Ascended Creator Figure: Other fans posit Steve as having divine creative powers – perhaps he is the one who built the cryptic End Portal structures and understands innately how to summon lightning or spawn iron golems using pumpkins. In this lens, Steve takes on more mythological wizard-like qualities as the last remaining ruler of this domain.

So in many ways not utilizing Steve directly has only fueled more intense discussions and lore theories around who Steve might genuinely be within the broader scope of Minecraft canon!

Jesse Lets Players Forge Their Own Story Not Beholden to Steve Lore

Opting to craft a fully customizable original protagonist called Jesse liberated Telltale from expectations around adhering to any pre-established Steve lore. Players could now freely shape Jesse‘s personality, appearance, choices and relationships bound only by their own vision for the character.

Across the franchise core games and even unofficial fan works, Steve‘s status remains wide open to player interpretation and debate. So anchoring this new Minecraft: Story Mode sub-series around Jesse provided the developmental breathing room needed to present an independent character-driven plot arc.

And with Minecraft now clocking up sales of 238 million units over its decade long reign, Telltale‘s released adventure tapped into a clearly passionate and curious fanbase around further expanding on the wider universe and lore this sandbox open world has produced.

Final Thoughts: Steve Still a Legend, Jesse the New Hero in Town

While Jesse has so far exclusively headlined the Story Mode proceedings across 2 full seasons of episodic content, Steve remains ever-present as the enigmatic background figure in the franchise mythos. His absence directly has only sparked more discussion over his origins and purpose.

But for this fan-favorite spin-off, anchoring on an original custom protagonist just makes sense allowing players full control over their avatar unbeholden to Steve‘s murky fate. Though who knows, any future Story Mode follow ups could yet feature Steve or reveal more concrete details on exactly what he represents!

For now though, I‘m just happy to see more narrative depth added to the Minecraft universe, even if one of gaming‘s most iconic default skinned heroes himself stays behind the scenes…for now at least!

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

As a strategy game enthusiast, I spend hours devising tactics in games like "Civilization VI" and "StarCraft II," always eager to share my strategies with fellow gamers. I'm also an ardent follower of the ever-evolving landscape of indie games, finding gems like "Hollow Knight" and "Celeste" that offer unique, compelling experiences.

My content isn't just reviews; it's about deep dives into game mechanics, storytelling, and the art of game design. I love dissecting the narratives of games like "The Last of Us" and discussing the innovative gameplay of titles like "Death Stranding."

Being at the forefront of gaming news, I eagerly anticipate and share insights on upcoming releases like the next big open-world adventure or the latest in the "Final Fantasy" series. My goal is to build a community where we not only play games but also appreciate the artistry and effort behind them. Join me in this gaming journey, where every session is an adventure, and every game is a story waiting to be told.

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