Minecraft: Institutions and Audiences

  

Minecraft: Institutions and Audiences

How is Minecraft different from other video games ?

Minecraft differs from other games because of its simple visuals and open 'sandbox' world that allows gamers to create whatever they want. Founder of Mojang, Markus Persson said that, "The communication is so straightforward and simple, and I now realize that's part of the appeal", describing the game as one with no story or mission, but a range of possibilities. This open design that adheres to strict rules allows players of universal backgrounds to all enjoy the game; many have found that the game has "specific value for autistic children" whose parents find they speak enthusiastically for a long time about their experiences in the game, compared to before where communication was difficult. Each player has a sense of ownership- and this is the heart of the game- that allows Minecraft to be vitally different from other video games.

How and why was its appeal so effectively spread without professional promotion ?

Minecraft was spread through social media because its original company Mojang was a small indie company and only marketed it online. Described as 'a digital version of Lego', Minecraft's appeal may be in the fact that it is so similar to this popular game in that you can construct, deconstruct, make detailed structures and spend long hours on it. Minecraft has been described as "up there with Pokemon as a truly universal gaming experience", showing its success as down to the fact that "everyone is welcome", as everyone can understand its logical system and turn it into something of their own.

How might the Microsoft takeover be received by audiences ?

The producers of Minecraft predicted that reactions from the game's millions of fans may be quite negative; "Some would be angry, others would feel abandoned", and they were all aware that part of the appeal of the company itself was that it wasn't there for money, and that Mojang was "the shining star of he independent games scene", meaning some audiences would label the producers as sellouts, abandoning their values and ideals for 2.5 billion dollars to Microsoft. Microsoft bought Mojang itself, but was clearly only interested in Minecraft for its popularity - with 30 million copies sold by 2015. Audiences may have been stunned by this takeover, after the creators of the game so strongly believed that making the games would be done their own way, and for fun.

To what extent do you think that the Microsoft takeover inhibits the 'brand' ?

The Microsoft takeover may restrict the Microsoft brand because of how uniquely it was made, as many original Mojang workers are unimpressed with how Microsoft may try and change parts of the game. "There will be a Warner Bros motion picture, a confirmation of the game's slip into the mass cultural consciousness", describes how Microsoft is beginning to use Minecraft's popularity - a game which was so prized to begin with because it was made by a group of people who simply wanted to create and program small indie games for fun, turning its original values to the complete opposite of what Minecraft was intended for.

SOURCES : https://www.wired.com/2015/06/minecraft-book-excerpt/

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/feb/08/meet-the-blockheads-a-rare-glimpse-inside-minecrafts-hq