When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
In a remarkable feat of digital preservation, a dedicated team of Minecraft enthusiasts has successfully mapped the entirety of 2b2t, one of the oldest and most infamous servers in the Minecraft universe. This ambitious project culminated in the release of a 15TB compressed download, which can be expanded to reveal a staggering 80TB archive of data. The team ingeniously developed a custom compression format to facilitate this monumental task.
The Journey of Preservation
The 2b2tplace preservation initiative commenced in 2024 and reached its conclusion in April 2026, following an intensive 22-month effort. To achieve this, the team deployed 28 bot accounts that meticulously traversed the expansive 2b2t world, mapping every block with exceptional accuracy. The scale of this undertaking is truly impressive, as it encompasses over one million blocks across the three primary Minecraft dimensions: the Overworld, the Nether, and the End.
With a data footprint exceeding 80TB, the storage requirements for such an endeavor are daunting. Even prior to the recent storage shortages, the team would have needed substantial storage capacity, including at least eight 8TB M.2 SSDs or five 16TB SATA SSDs. Alternatively, traditional hard drives would necessitate three massive 36TB units. The financial investment in storage equipment alone likely reached several thousand dollars, not accounting for additional expenses such as priority queue purchases and server rentals, which amounted to over ,000 as detailed on their GitHub page.
For those unfamiliar with the Minecraft landscape, 2b2t, short for 2builders2tools, is a server that has operated since 2010, distinguished by its anarchic nature. Unlike typical servers, 2b2t is devoid of rules, staff moderation, or map resets, granting players complete freedom to engage in whatever activities they choose. Over the years, numerous updates have transformed the server’s landscape, inspiring a passionate community of players, including notable figures like crayne, Fuch, mahan, and Steve3, to preserve the original essence of 2b2t before it fades into obscurity.
The challenge of storing or sharing 80TB of data is compounded by the current scarcity and high costs of storage solutions. The archival team initially promised a compressed format for the archive, but encountered significant challenges. In response, they engineered a custom file compression format, dubbed .zvcr (Zstd-compressed Version Controlled Regions). While common Minecraft servers utilize the .mca (Minecraft Anvil) file format, which is suitable for smaller worlds, the .zvcr format employs the Zstd algorithm, offering superior compression ratios.
This innovative approach allowed the team to compress the entire project to a mere 15TB, achieving an impressive space savings of up to 81.25%. Consequently, instead of requiring eight 8TB M.2 or five 16TB SATA SSDs, the compressed archive can now be stored on just two or even one drive. However, unpacking the archive presents its own set of challenges.
Despite the extensive preservation efforts, the 2b2t server remains active, inviting Minecraft players to partake in its chaotic environment. Nevertheless, many long-time players express concerns that the server has drifted from its original anarchic spirit. This shift in dynamics serves as a primary motivation behind the 2b2tplace preservation initiative, ensuring that the server’s legacy is not lost to time.
