Video Games: Minecraft - Creating Merchandise

Creating Merchandise:

Task: Minecraft are looking to create some new merchandise. Look at previous products and come up with a brand new piece of merchandise. Think about who your target audience will be and create an advert in a magazine showing off your new product.

My product: 

Video Games - Minecraft: Essay

Minecraft Essay

Write an introductory essay to Minecraft: Explain what it is, give an outline of the game's history and explain why it has been a commercial and critical success (Approx. 700 words or 2 sides)

Minecraft is a sandbox computer game created and designed in 2009 Marcus “Notch” Persson and fully and published by Mojang. A sandbox game is one with an open structure, players are free to explore the game’s environment and are able to express themselves creatively within the game. Minecraft players build structures creating a 3D world that some players get lost playing for hours.

When Notch started Minecraft, in summer 2009, he was on his own. Notch had to fund the game as well as get it out to gamers. He had created a basic game, which had elements from other games like Dwarf Fortness and Infinimer. A month later, he charged people €10 (£8) to download the game, Minecraft sold 40 copies that first weekend. Every Friday, Persson updated the game by adding features. In summer 2010, Persson set up Mojang who had worked at Flash-games developer King.com and Manneh.

Since Minecraft was released back in 2009, it has been a commercial success. It is currently the second best-selling game ever made as is estimated that 55 million people play Minecraft every month. The company is worth around £1.09 billion, due to it being brought out by Mojang in 2014. There are many reasons as to why it has become such a commercial success since 2009, one of the most important reasons is its growing popularity. Minecraft is a worldwide game being played in countries like the US, Norway and Australia. This worldwide success means that there is an increase in sales therefore generating a larger profit as well as having a bigger availability. Popular forms of social media such as Facebook and YouTube have also played a significant role in helping to popularize it and advertising to others to play. Fan account can be set up to trade ideas and skills or to simple discus the game therefore creating more of a conversation and social aspect to Minecraft. Youtube has been another way Minecraft has become popular. Many gamer channels film themselves exploring the world they have created. This appeals to not only beginner who can learn the basics and how the game works, but it also appeals to people who want to start creating more complexed structures and games. These videos have becoming extremely popular and get over a million views.

In addition to this, another reason for commercial success, is the spin off games and merchandise created since the release of Minecraft as well as developments made to the game. Spin off games like “Minecraft, Education Edition”. This game appeals to a specific demographic, which benefits the business as they are targeting a wider audience therefore creating more sales. This brings a fun way of learning to children and influences them to want to expand their knowledge. It also creates conversation in the playground and then at home meaning parents are more likely to purchase the game as it has an educating factor as well as being really enjoyable to play. The merchandise that is created and sold across the world and promotes and advertises the game. This is really important for Minecraft’s success as when it was released in 2009 they didn’t have a huge marketing platform so relied on gamers talking about Minecraft, meaning the buzz was created by conversation rather than the typical TV advert or bus poster. The game has received millions of dollars in merchandise revenue from T-shirts to toys. Minecraft has also got its own convention, Minecon, which began just 2 years after the game was created. The convention has taken place in places like Las Vegas, Disneyland Paris, California, London and Orlando which expands their global marketing and attracts even more customers.

Furthermore, another reason to why Minecraft is commercially successful is due to its different platforms. Xbox, Windows 10, Windows phones, Nintendo Wii U, PlayStation and Android phone can all be platforms to play Minecraft. This creates accessible for a wider audience meaning more people are able to play. By having such a wide platform to play the game, it creates more sales therefore making a larger profit. As Minecraft generates more money, new concepts and ideas can start to be developed. This not only brings in new players but ensures keeping the current players.

Video Games: Minecraft - Essay Question Practice

Essay Question Practice:

Q. Explain the impact of digitally convergent media platforms on video game production,

distribution and consumption. Refer to Minecraft to support your answer.

Use Minecraft to support your answer throughout.

Explain the Impact: Tell the examiner about the importance

Since Minecraft was released back in 2009, it has been a commercial success. It is currently the second best-selling game ever made as is estimated that 55 million people play Minecraft every month. The company is worth around £1.09 billion, due to it being brought out by Microsoft in 2014.

Digitally Convergent Media Platforms: Devices that link us to shared content via a network

Minecraft’s reach has spread to multiple platforms and can be accessed by Xbox, Nintendo, PlayStation, PC, and from hand-held devices such as iPads, iPhones, tablets and other android products. There are various modes which the game can be played on, such as survival or creative however players have the opportunity to play by themselves in single-mode or together on multiplayer mode. This encourages individual creativity as well as teamwork. Players, primarily children, have described the game as ‘fun’ and ‘creative’.

Video game production: Creating a Video Game

The game was initially created in 2009 by Swedish developer Marcus ‘Notch’ Persson, and it was initially a spin-off of an open source game called Infiniminer, and eventually, the initial ‘Cave Game’ name was changed to ‘Minecraft’ for its first alpha release. This independent development style, with regular updates just simply under ‘Notch’ lasted until December 2010, when the game became so large that Notch formed Mojang AB, which became the developing company of the game, and hired staff to aid in the consistent development of the game. Mojang remained an independent company, and the only publisher of the game up until September 2014. By then, Mojang was worth many billions of dollars, and was purchased by Microsoft. Mojang, despite being a Microsoft company still however exists, and still develops the game as it always did (although there is more inclusion of Xbox LIVE services), despite the departure of Notch from the development team around them.

Distribution: How it circulates, is marketed and is advertised

Consumption: Audience purchasing the game

Audience pleasures from playing the game.

Conclusion:

Video Games - Minecraft Timeline

Minecraft Timeline

2009:

April 29^th: Infiniminer is released by Zachtronics Industries, it was regularly updated and became open-source less than a month later this is where Notch got the inspiration for Minecraft

May 10^th: Development on Cave Game started using RubyDung, (an abandoned game project by Notch), and Infiniminer as a basis for the code

May 13^th: Java: First video of Cave Game, block placement, first Mobs (Humans), physics created.

May 14^th: Renamed to Minecraft: Order of the Stone, a suggestion on the Independent Games Wiki

May 16^th: Java: Early private testing among TIGSource members/

May 17^th: First release of the game, shortened to Minecraft

May 21^st: Accounts can now be registered

May 24^th: An official Minecraaft Forum is opened

June 1^st: Java: First Multiplayer test, Notch starts new job at Jalbum

June 8^th: Java: Multiplayer released

June 14^th: Java: Custom Skins released

August 4^th: Java: First elements of Survival

August 18^th: Java: Introduction of Health

October 22^nd: Passwords can now be changed

October 20^th: Beginning of SURVIVAL TEST

December 22^nd: Hayden Scott-Baron becomes the Minecraft Artist

December 23^rd: Minecraft for Java passes to Indev development stage

2010:

January 13th: Minecraft passes 100,000 registered users

January 21^st: Minecraft can now be gifted to non-premium players

February 27th: Minecraft for Java passes to Infdev development stage, introduction of infinite maps

June 17^th: Minecraft passes 20,000 sales

June 18th: Java : Seecret Friday Update 1 released. Minecart system introduced

June 25th: Java : Seecret Friday Update 2 released. Dungeons introduced

June 30^th: Minecraft for Java passes to Alpha development stage (Alpha 1.0.0), price raised from 5.00 € to 10.00 €, it is now possible to play on a client window.

July 3^rd: Java : Seecret Friday Update 3 (Alpha 1.0.1) released. Redstone introduced

July 9th: Java : Seecret Friday Update 4 (Alpha 1.0.4) released. Winter Mode introduced

July 16^th:  Java : Seecret Friday Update 5 (Alpha 1.0.6) released. Boats and Large Trees

introduced

July 22th: Java : First over-the-internet test of Survival Mode Multiplayer

July 23rd: Java : Seecret Friday Update 6 (Alpha 1.0.11) released. Bricks and Slimes introduced

July 30th: Java : Seecret Friday Update 7 (Alpha 1.0.14) released. Chickens and Music Discs introduced.August 4^th: First release of Survival Multiplayer (Java Edition Alpha 1.0.15)

August 20th: Java : Seecret Friday Update 8 (Alpha 1.0.17) released. Fences introduced

August 31st: Minecraftcon, a spontaneous gathering of over 50 fans after a call by Notch, is held in Bellevue, Washington

September 2nd: Notch, JahKob and Carl Manneh return from the trip in the U.S.

September 10^th: Java : Seecret Friday Update 9 (Alpha 1.1.0) released. Compasses introduced

September 18^th: Java : Seecret Saturday Update 10 (Alpha 1.1.1) released. Sneaking introduced. Minecraft technically becomes free-to-play for the weekend, due to the login server not working correctly

September 23rd: Minecraft Classic is available again on Minecraft.net

October 30^th: Java : Alpha 1.2.0 "Halloween Update" released. Nether introduced

December 20^th: Minecraft for Java passes to Beta development stage (Beta 1.0), price raised from 10.00 € to 15.00 €

2011:

January 12^th: Minecraft surpasses 1 million sales

January 13th: Java : Beta 1.2 released

February 22^nd: Java : Beta 1.3 released

February 4th: "Minecraft - Volume Alpha", the soundtrack of the game by C418, is released

February 31st: Java : Beta 1.4 released

April 19^th: Java : Beta 1.5 released

May 26^th: Java : Beta 1.6 released.

June 1^st: Minecraft: Pocket Edition is first shown on a Youtube video

June 6^th: Microsoft reveal Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition at the E3 conference

June 30^th: Java : Beta 1.7 "Piston Update" released

July 1^st: Minecraft passes 10 million registered users

July 30^th:  Minecraft T-shirts are made available on Battlefield Heroes for the 30-31 of July week-end only as a form of "neighborly friendly cross-promotion" between DICE and Mojang

August 5^th: Notch receives a 15-page letter from Bethesda Softworks, threatening him with a lawsuit if he doesn't change the name "Scrolls" (which is too close to "The Elder Scrolls", according to Bethesda) for his next game. A little while before this, Notch had already been warned by Bethesda's lawyers about this problem, and had suggested a compromise in which he would never put any word before "Scrolls"

September 14^th: Java : Beta 1.8 "Adventure Update" released.

November 13^th: Java : "Sound Update" released.

November 17^th: PE : First iOS release (Alpha 0.1.2)

November 18th: MineCon 2011 is held at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada. Over 4,500 people from 24 countries attend to it. On the same day, Minecraft 1.0.0 for Java edition is officially released, price is now 20.00 €

2012:

January 24^th: LEGO announces that the LEGO Minecraft project has passed the 10,000 required votes

March 12^th: The "Elder Scrolls vs. Scrolls" lawsuit has an outcome = Mojang can call their game "Scrolls", but no sequel using this name will be allowed

May 9^th: Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition TU1 officially released

August 2^nd: MineCon 2012 is officially announced on a promotional video to be in Disneyland Paris on November 24–25

September 6th PE : Alpha 0.4.0 released for both iOS & Android

November 6^th: Minecraft gift cards are available in physical stores in the US. This is the first time Minecraft can be bought without a credit card

November 24^th: MineCon 2012 is held at Disneyland Paris, France

November 25^th: Second day of MineCon 2012. MineCon 2012 capes released. Minecraft 1.5, also known as "The Redstone Update" is announced

2013:

April 1st: Java : Minecraft 2.0 announced as an April Fools joke

April 5^th: Minecraft for Java surpasses 10 million sale

July 20^th: Minecraft was announced for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 

Vita. The PS4 edition will be released on the same day the PS4 gets released for North America (November 15), and Europe, Australia, and Latin America (November 29)

September 2^nd: Minecraft for Java surpasses 12 million sales

November 2nd–3^rd: MineCon 2013 is held at Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida

December 13: Minecraft for Java surpasses 13 million sales

2014:

April 24^th: Minecraft Realms is launched in the United States

May 6^th: Minecraft Realms is launched in more countries in Asia and Europe

May 9^th: Minecraft Realms is launched in the Oceania region

May 19^th: Minecraft Realms is launched globally in all remaining countries

September 15^th: Mojang and Minecraft are acquired by Microsoft for $2.5 billion

2015:

March 12^th: Minecraft: Console Edition wins a BAFTA Games Award in the family category

March 28^th: Minecraft wins a Kids' Choice Award for "Most Addicting Game"

March 30^th: Minecraft for Java surpasses 20 million sales

July 1^st: Minecraft wins the first ever BAFTA Young Game Designers Hero Award

July 4th–5^th:MineCon 2015 takes place in London

July 4^th: MineCon receives the Guinness World Record for Largest Convention for a Single Video Game

September 3^rd: Minecraft is nominated for a Golden Joystick Award in the Best Family Game category

December 7^th: Minecraft announced for the Wii U

2016:

February 2^nd: Minecraft: Story Mode is nominated a Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Video Game

June 2^nd: Minecraft is sold for all platforms 100 million times and makes the second best selling games

June 27^th: Mojang announces Minecraft: The Movie, the release date for the movie is May 24, 2019 and in 3D and in IMAX

November 1^st: Minecraft: Education Edition officially launched

2017:

February 2^nd: Minecraft: Story Mode is nominated a Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Video Game, for the second year in a row

May 11th: Console : Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition officially released

August 22th: Minecraft: Story Mode released on the Nintendo Switch

September 13^th: Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition officially released

Minecraft hits 74 million active players and 144 million total sales