It has been 12 years since Terraria released and in that time, it has made a stunningly successful journey as one of the most enduringly popular video games of all time. Respected across all areas of the industry for its open world sandbox adventure gameplay and its iconic cast of characters, the game has captured the hearts and minds of fan and creators alike. And, it appears that the developers are just as taken with it as everyone else.

Speaking in a recent interview, the game’s director, Andrew Spinks, opened up about when it comes to the game’s development, it’s “really hard to let go”. He spoke of how the scope of the game continuously grows, not just from the endless combinations of building structures, but also in the addition of rare boss enemy drops, the unlockable vanity items, and all the additional crafting recipes. Hypnotized even to this day, he admits that the team struggles to keep making that next big decision, knowing that it won’t please everyone.

For the community itself, Terraria has been around for so long that it’s become a significant part of the gaming culture. Once thought to be ‘a game to play until the next game’, it has earned a life of its own, allowing for countless hours of solo or co-op play with friends, and even tournaments that bring the best together.

It is becoming increasingly clear that it will take a lot more than twelve years to fully explain Terraria’s success. And, as Spinks subtly alludes to, this is not just a story of an indie video game that became popular against all odds, but instead a reflection on the strength of the game itself, and thecommunity that continues to fuel it long after its initial release.