In the ever-growing world of online gaming, where trolls and toxicity often overshadow creativity and fun, one Minecraft server stands out as a leader in making kindness its No. 1 rule.
Autcraft, a private Minecraft community, was created specifically for autistic children, their families and their friends. With simple rules like “no bullying, no griefing, no stealing,” it provides a sanctuary for those who have often felt unwelcome in mainstream gaming spaces.
The brain behind Autcraft is Stuart Duncan, affectionately known as AutismFather in the community. Duncan, who left his career as a web developer, runs the server full-time to make sure it remains the safe haven it was designed to be. He is ever-present, ready to respond to private messages from kids who need support. “For the first two years, I was talking to two kids per week who were suicidal,” Duncan said. “Eventually my work suffered. I’d be talking to my boss and I’d say, ‘Hold on a minute, this kid needs me.'”
Photo courtesy of Stuart Duncan/Autcraft
Autcraft offers more than just a place to play — it’s where many kids on the spectrum make their first friends. Duncan explains the unique warmth of the server: “When you first join in there will be 30 people who welcome you and offer to give you a tour. They’ll show up and start giving you stuff. Somebody will say, ‘I’m such an idiot,’ and everyone will say, ‘Don’t say that, you’re not an idiot.’ It’s because all these kids have been bullied everywhere they go. They all know what each other feels like.”
So when they’re there they’re so positive and so supportive.”
The server also hosts remarkable spaces like a mirror image of the Alice in Wonderland castle, a sky-high space station, and a wooden “Bully Board” where players share their stories of overcoming hardship. Numbers for general helplines in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada are pinned for anyone in need, and the in-game chat is filled with kindness and friendship.
One of the many areas built in Autcraft’s Minecraft server. Photo courtesy of Stuart Duncan/Autcraft
The inspiration for Autcraft came from Duncan’s own family experiences. His son, who is autistic, discovered a new way to communicate and grow through Minecraft. “He immediately understood how he could build a hut or a castle,” Duncan said. “He started to learn new words. He went from a vocabulary of 10 words to a vocabulary of words like ‘obsidian.’ He loved being there; he wanted to share it with me.”
Duncan, who himself was diagnosed with autism as an adult, understands the power of feeling seen. “I went through life thinking there was something wrong with me,” he said. “Just that people weren’t like me, and I didn’t get it.” Through Autcraft, he ensures others don’t have to face that same isolation.
One of the many areas built in Autcraft’s Minecraft server. Photo courtesy of Stuart Duncan/Autcraft
The community has grown to more than 17,000 members and is funded through small donations and Patreon supporters. But its value isn’t measured in numbers. “It’s not that you’re being bullied, it’s that you feel like you’re the only one. Having a place with people who know what that feels like is empowering,” Duncan said. And that feeling is what they server was designed for.
“We just let them know that they’re not alone. We’re here for each other and will support each other for as long as need be,” he said. “We all know how terrible it can feel sometimes and none of us want the others to feel that same way.”
Sources: My Modern Met | PC Gamer
