[link] The Minecraft ModJam 2026 has officially wrapped, and our incredibly talented author community completely blew us away! Challenged with the theme "Echoes of the Past," creators from all over the world turned back the clock to craft ancient ruins, lost tech, and unforgettable gameplay experiences. This week, we are kicking off our 4-part ModJam showcase by honoring the Java Edition Mods category, a true celebration of the imagination and passion that keeps the CurseForge community thriving.
[link] Be sure to catch up on the rest of the winners in our roundups for Data Packs, Resource Packs, and Bedrock Add-ons!
What Was Minecraft ModJam 2026?
The Echoes of the Past Modjam 2026 was one of our biggest community events of the year, bringing together modders, texture artists, and add-on developers across both Java and Bedrock Edition.
- The Theme: "Echoes of the Past" - Participants were tasked with building brand-new projects targeting Minecraft 26.1+ centered around ancient history, prehistoric eras, mythologies, lost artifacts, and forgotten lore.
- The Stakes: $50,000 Total Prize Pool - With 59 total winning spots up for grabs, creators competed for category grand prizes ($1,000 each), early-bird rewards, and exclusive CurseForge swag bundles!
- How They Were Judged - Submissions were scored by judges across three core pillars: Theme Fit (how creatively they captured history), Quality & Polish (stability, visuals, and execution), and Originality & Fun.
- Powered by YOU - In addition to judge scoring, the community voted to crown $2,000 Community Favorite winners in each category, proving that player feedback is at the very heart of CurseForge.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the amazing projects that brought the past back to life!
The Winners: Java Edition Mods
The competition was fierce, but these winning creations stood out for their mechanics, artistry, and incredible interpretation of history and myth.
Archaion: Echoes of the Fallen by RatRod
Explore the dangerous Ancient Keep, defeat twisted trial challenges, and awaken a powerful mechanical boss to uncover the lost story of the Ancients.
Timeless Echoes by wdiscute
Dive into a sculk-themed roguelite experience across a mysterious dimension suspended between time.
Noble Phantasms by OfficialTurtleBoi
Venture through ancient ruins to reforge legendary weapons and relics that turn myth into reality.
Ages of Dominion by Hyrrx
Command a medieval kingdom right inside Minecraft by managing resources, advancing through historical ages, and defending your settlement from nightly invasions.
Iron's Arms 'n Artifice by Iron431
Blend historical firearms with custom artificer crafting to forge modular guns, unique ammunition, and historical armor sets.
Olympus! by xylonity
nearth divine Greek artifacts, brave skyward structures, and harness powerful mythological abilities across your worlds.
Chronoclones by ballaler
Record your actions to create an army of automated clones that can farm, build, craft, and fight on loop.
Mnemosyne: Lost Echoes by Kaworru
Team up with a damaged mechanical companion to explore underground archives, view memories of the past, and reconstruct long-lost technologies.
Old Glass Photograph by KURONAMl
Experience authentic wet-plate photography by operating a working camera, developing glass plates by hand, and framing black-and-white snapshots in your world.
Voidweaver by astianbk
Descend into a shadow-covered prison dimension to help a forgotten goddess regain her lost powers.
Back To Greece by h4rttt
Immerse yourself in the Trojan War and earn glory through epic battles so the world remembers your name.
Relict by Drullkus
Journey to Mars through forgotten portals to uncover ancient craters, lost ruins, and the extraterrestrial history of a red planet.
Alterna: Ancient Echoes Below by Huwng
Discover massive underground rifts filled with vibrant new biomes, exotic flora, and the ruins of a subterranean civilization.
The Lost Camera by LevelsFR
Photograph ancient ruins to piece together forgotten history and document your historical discoveries in a personal field album.
Ancient Remnants: Monoliths by Obscuria
Search for biome-specific monolith structures to harvest Elderheart cores and harness forgotten ancient powers.
Community Favorites
ModJam isn't just about judge scoring; it’s about what you, our amazing community, loved playing the most! You cast your votes, left your mark, and rallied behind your favorite authors. Thank you to everyone who participated, voted, and hyped up these projects throughout the event!
Here are the top projects that captured the community’s heart during this year’s jam:
Echoes of the Nether by WanMine
Rediscover the forgotten origins of the Nether as you explore desolate ancient ruins, collect nether relics, and harness lost underworld powers.
Ode to Gods by kohara (Data Pack)
Offer prayers and sacrifices at ancient shrines to gain divine blessings and powerful abilities inspired by mythic deities.
Darkest Ages Mobs by mongoose_artist (Resource Pack)
Give your worlds a grim fantasy upgrade with menacing, dark-ages redesigns for hostile and passive mobs alike.
Iron's Arms 'n Artifice by Iron431 (Mod)
Blend historical firearms with custom artificer crafting to forge modular guns, unique ammunition, and historical armor sets.
The Jam is Over, but the Journey Continues!
Huge congratulations to our winning creators for bringing Echoes of the Past to life in such a spectacular fashion! But your adventure doesn't end here - CurseForge is home to tens of thousands of community-crafted projects waiting to be explored. Head over to our main Minecraft Catalog to discover game-changing mods, stunning resource packs, and seamless add-ons to upgrade your next world. Don't forget to jump into the official CurseForge Discord to chat with the community, share your builds, and connect with fellow creators!
Never installed a project before? We've got you covered! The CurseForge App takes the hassle out of modding by handling the heavy lifting for you - managing mod loaders, tracking updates, and checking for dependencies behind the scenes.