If you’ve spent any time in the Minecraft community over the last few years, you know the name Iskall85. He’s the guy with the infectious laugh, the obsession with diorite (or rather, hating it), and some of the most technical-yet-beautiful builds on the Hermitcraft server. But lately, fans have been asking one question more than any other: why did Iskall leave Hermitcraft? It's a tricky question because, technically, Iskall hasn't "left" in the way a person quits a job. He isn't off the whitelist. He hasn't had a falling out with Mumbo Jumbo or Grian. But if you look at the server logs or the upload schedules for Season 9 and parts of Season 10, the "Omega Tree" sized hole in the map is pretty obvious.
Honestly, the reality is way more relatable than some dramatic YouTube beef. It’s about burnout, the crushing weight of expectations, and a little project called Vault Hunters.
The Reality of Content Creator Burnout
Being a Hermit sounds like a dream. You play video games with your friends, millions of people watch, and you make a great living. But for Iskall, the pressure to constantly innovate within the vanilla Minecraft space started to take a toll.
He's a perfectionist.
When you’re surrounded by builders like BdoubleO100 or redstone geniuses like Ethos, there is an unspoken pressure to keep up. During Season 7, Iskall was on top of the world. His Omega Tree was a marvel. But by Season 8 and 9, the spark started to flicker. Minecraft is a sandbox, but even sandboxes can feel like a cage if you’ve been playing in them for a decade straight. Iskall has been open on his livestreams about the fact that sometimes, logging into the Hermitcraft server felt like "going to the office" rather than having fun.
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Vault Hunters: The Game-Changer
You can't talk about why did Iskall leave Hermitcraft—even temporarily—without talking about Vault Hunters. This isn't just a modpack. For Iskall, it’s a career-defining project.
Iskall is the lead developer of Vault Hunters, a massive RPG-style overhaul of Minecraft that introduces loot, leveling, and complex dungeons. He didn't just play it; he built the team behind it. Managing a dev team, balancing game mechanics, and running a dedicated SMP for Vault Hunters is a full-time job. Actually, it's more like two full-time jobs.
When you have to choose between playing "standard" Minecraft on Hermitcraft or working on your own proprietary game design project that is seeing massive success, the choice becomes a matter of professional growth. He found a new passion. Vault Hunters gave him the technical challenge that vanilla Minecraft was lacking.
He didn't "quit" Hermitcraft; he just ran out of hours in the day.
The "Season 9" Slump and Mental Health
During Season 9, Iskall’s absence became glaring. He started strong, but then he just... stopped. He later admitted that he was struggling with his mental health and the feeling that his Hermitcraft content wasn't "good enough."
Social media can be a toxic place. Fans would constantly comment on his Vault Hunters videos asking, "When is Hermitcraft coming back?" or "Why are you ignoring the server?"
That pressure rarely helps someone who is already feeling uninspired. It creates a cycle of guilt. You feel guilty for not playing, so you avoid the server, which makes you feel more guilty, which makes you avoid it even more. Iskall eventually took a step back to focus on his own well-being and the projects that actually made him happy to wake up in the morning.
Is He Back for Season 10?
Here is the good news. Iskall did return for the start of Hermitcraft Season 10. He recognized that the long break was necessary to find his "fun" again. He’s been hanging out with Stressmonster and the "Bonk" crew, keeping things light and low-pressure.
However, the "why" of his previous departures remains relevant. He’s still the lead of Vault Hunters. He’s still a guy who follows his inspiration rather than a rigid upload schedule. If he disappears for a few weeks, it's usually because the "development" side of his brain has taken over the "entertainment" side.
Breaking Down the Misconceptions
There are always rumors. Some people thought he was kicked off for being too focused on his own modpack. Others thought there was drama behind the scenes.
- Did the Hermits kick him out? Absolutely not. The Hermitcraft community is famously supportive. They’ve always said that the door is open for members to take breaks for as long as they need.
- Is he bored of Minecraft? No, he's just bored of "Vanilla" Minecraft at times. There's a big difference.
- Is he moving to Twitch permanently? Iskall definitely prefers the live interaction of Twitch, which is why his YouTube channel sometimes sees gaps.
Iskall's journey is a blueprint for how modern creators handle longevity. You can't do the same thing for 10 years without evolving. For him, that evolution meant stepping away from the biggest server in the world to build something of his own.
What This Means for You
If you’re a fan, the best thing you can do is support the content he is making. Whether it’s Vault Hunters or a random indie game, a happy creator makes better content than a burnt-out one.
Moving forward, keep these points in mind regarding Iskall and Hermitcraft:
- Follow his Twitch: Most of his "missing" time is actually spent live-streaming development or Vault Hunters gameplay.
- Check the Vault Hunters Discord: If you want to see what he’s actually working on when he’s not on the Hermitcraft server, that’s where the action is.
- Lower the expectations: Don't expect a 30-minute highly edited Hermitcraft video every week. Iskall’s style has shifted toward a more relaxed, "as it happens" vibe.
- Respect the breaks: When a creator says they need to step away, it's usually to prevent a permanent exit. His absences are the reason he’s still on the server at all.
Understanding that Iskall is a developer as much as he is a YouTuber changes the perspective on his activity. He isn't just a player on a server; he's a man trying to build a gaming ecosystem. That takes time, and sometimes, the Omega Tree has to wait.