We’re creating worlds to understand our own.
See how
Civilization Experiment
CivLabs operates a server running a modified version of Minecraft designed to promote specialization and interdependence among players.
We’re investigating how scarcity, danger, and role-based systems influence cooperation, trade, and community development in a virtual environment.
Players encounter unique challenges that require teamwork to overcome, while researchers gain structured data on how simulated civilizations form and evolve under controlled conditions.
Virtual Advantage
We’re not trying to recreate the real world. In fact, Minecraft’s simplicity is a strength: it gives us a consistent, rule-based foundation to isolate and test social dynamics without real-world unpredictability. This makes it an effective, controllable environment for exploring cooperation, scarcity, and community-building at scale.
