Minecraft (Print Media)

Minecraft (Print Media):

Minecraft is a three-dimensional sandbox game, created and developed by Swedish-based Mojang Studios. It sets no specific goals for the player to accomplish, allowing users a large amount of freedom in choosing how to play the game.

Game play is in the first-person perspective by default, but players do have the option to play in third person and there are different modes of play including Story Mode features. The game world is composed of rough 3D objects (mainly cubes and fluids) representing various materials such as dirt, stone, ores, tree trunks, water and lava.

The core game play revolves around breaking and placing these objects. These blocks are arranged in a 3D grid, while players can move freely around the world.

Players can mine blocks and then place them elsewhere, which allows for constructions to be built. The key characteristic of Minecraft as a video game is its creative and educational functions, which are more explicit in the gaming experience than in market-led rival games.

Minecraft has been described as a virtual world of Lego that involves following simple instructions in order to play: explore, mine and build.

Users only have to log in and proceed to create a world full of textured 3D cubes. There are predominantly two game modes:

Creative or Survival, although more recent additions include Adventure, Spectator and also multiplayer modes.

Minecraft is the second most successful video game of all time behind Tetris.
It was created and designed by Markus Persson, a game programmer, who also developed and published the game through his company Mojang.
A full version of the game went on release in November 2011.
To date, well over 121 million copies have been sold across all platforms, including over 27 million PC copies, making it the biggest selling PC game of all time.

Key Terminologies:

•Digitally convergent media: Video games consoles are an excellent example of a digitally convergent device, you can not only play games but access social media, surf the internet, stream films and TV content and upload content into cloud based servers. Cross-media content helps maximise profits and also improve reach to new customers.

•Production: This refers to all phases of designing, developing and making the media product;

•Distribution: This refers to all processes linked to delivering the media product to audiences both through tangible (disc) and digital (Cloud based) media.

Consumption: Explores the way in which the media text is used by audiences for pleasure but also explores the rise of user generated content across several platforms

Minecraft Parody

Lucid Dreams- Juice Wrld:

This parody is a comical version of the song Lucid Dreams by Juice Wrld.

The creators name is 'ReptileLegit' and this video reached over 7 million views on YouTube since the 15th September 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nfv_iEeC8Y

•Without the commercial backing of a mainstream publisher, and no money spent on advertising revenue, the game relied on word of mouth between gamers and featured on sites such as the Penny Arcade web comic to generate interest amongst gamers.

•By January 2011, the beta-version of the game had passed over one million purchases in just only a month, and by April 2011 Persson estimated that US$33 million of revenue had been made.

•By 2011, with Minecraft being developed among the game community, Persson and his company, Mojang Studios, had a game concept with exponential global growth but without commercial backing from a mainstream publisher. The game’s publicity relied on word-of-mouth recommendations between gamers – its users. For many media companies this would not typically have enabled growth or development of the concept. But, in the online age, Persson had the vision to circulate and generate the game via the internet and the video game community, so spreading the message virally about the game’s value. This is a clear example of the power of collaboration.

•A consequence of this was that the beta version of the game had passed ‘over one million purchases in just a month in January 2011, and by April 2011 Persson estimated that US$33 million of revenue had been made’

The game was carefully marketed to audiences as identified above, as an online version of Lego and in doing so aligned itself with one of the most iconic ‘learning construction education products’ in history.

Definition of Synergy:

the interaction or cooperation of two or more organisations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

Minecraft- Education Edition:

Media Industries:

Minecraft’s specialised and institutionalised nature of media production, distribution and circulation.

The specialised and institutionalised nature of media production, distribution and It is worth considering how a simple PC Java game has become a globally successful phenomenon across all consoles and hand-held devices; Minecraft is now a multi- platform game which is not only just for PC gamers but those who own smartphones, Microsoft consoles (Xbox); Playstation 3, 4 and PS Vita; and more recently Nintendo consoles (Wii U) and hand-held devices (Nintendo Switch and Nintendo New 3DS, New 2DS XL and New 3DS XL)

Developments in Production:

•2010 Minecraft was developed as a multiplayer game using JAVA code..

•Gamers were able to contribute to the development of the program eliminating bugs and facilitating multiplayer capability

•In September of 2013, Microsoft bought all rights to Minecraft from Mojang for $2.5 billion dollars.

Marketing:

The way that Minecraft has effectively managed and maximised its audience is the foundation of its success. Initially, Mojang relied upon word of mouth from its users and the online community of computer programmer and gamers. Since the Microsoft takeover, Minecraft has developed plenty of opportunities to market the brand and its gaming features. If a company buys the intellectual rights to a video game in a deal running into billions of dollars, then it expects a sizeable financial return.

Minecraft had originally debuted as a downloadable game with no money for its marketing budget. In 2011, Minecraft became a gaming giant because Persson built the game with his community.

He found, however, that his early adopters helped improve the game. Users reported bugs and, more importantly, created ‘mods’ (game modifications) that were new worlds, characters and items for gamers to play with inside Minecraft . The game’s early community provided the initial growth and adoption through the power of collaboration and connecting with other users – filtering content and shaping the game’s development.

The introduction of the Minecraft Realms service in 2013 was an attempt to give the producers more control over the distribution and circulation of the game. Realms are servers that are created specifically for players and are intended to keep players’ Minecraft world online, accessible and safe to allow them to create, survive or compete. This invokes a sense of belonging, community and play amongst its users.

Any successful media product requires a marketing strategy and, in the online age, a symbiotic relationship with social media. Minecraft ’s Twitter feed exemplifies its highly developed use of online technology and has 1.8 million followers. Its banner is creatively and professionally animated. It is effectively a marketing platform for Mojang Studios, offering free giveaways, design information and what appears to be gaming advice to fans. With its highly commercial appearance, it represents a successful branding exercise for the game and company. Tweets frequently reference what is available in the Minecraft market and tie-ins with Microsoft consoles, with messages offering information such as behind the scenes previews about new products.

The Minecraft community then tweets brief replies in response to the development of concepts and technologies, creating awareness online of the products – which is exactly the aim of the Minecraft publicity machine.

Minecraft has also exploited the use of YouTube as a broadcast platform to promote its products, introducing game trailers and encouraging a video community willing to share its craft online. This prosumer community has aided online discussion of the game and improved viewers’ abilities to play, create and share in it.

Minecraft gamer celebrities have also emerged via YouTube, which in itself has attracted attention to the way the game is played and popularised it with online young, video-savvy media audiences. For example, reviews of games by popular YouTube vloggers such as PewDiePie are important for the future production of games as their feedback influences producers’ thinking for future releases. This is exemplified in the game’s survival mode, in tips on how to find food or how to stop the threat of creepers
In addition to the marketing and exchange of Minecraft, its educational worth is valued by users who create, play and share. This ethos is reflected in global projects and the educational value embedded in its program design.

For example: Minecraft has also been linked to non-profit projects such as the UN’s Block by Block project, which encourages communities around the world to redesign their neighbourhoods using Minecraft . An educational version has also been developed, Minecraft Edu (2012), which has several applications to help teach subjects and develop a culture of computer programming among digital natives.

Why Microsoft purchased Minecraft for £2.5 Billion?

Given the nature of the parent company and the loyal fan base of PC gamers, it was in the company’s interest to invest US$2.5 billion to purchase Mojang for long term revenue.
Microsoft have since developed the product using more complex coding C++
This has enabled multi platform access (mentioned previously)
They have launched newer more traditional programs such as Minecraft storymode
Minecraft in November 2014 of that year, plans to work on a virtual reality version of Minecraft in Partnership with Oculus
Minecraft , as a PC Java game, became a globally successful phenomenon across all consoles and hand-held devices.
It is now a multi-platform game appealing to a wide range of users- not only PC gamers but those who own smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
Mojang has struck deals with Nintendo, the largest game software seller, and Sony, as a hardware manufacturer and global conglomerate.
By 2014 the intellectual property rights had been acquired by Microsoft, an American multinational technology company. This is not simply a case of the product being in the right place at the right time.
These gaming giants and technology companies had a vision for Minecraft and how it could be distributed both globally and through its own gaming community. Their view was that beyond sales of hardware or software,
Gamers’ could readily be sold add-ons and a whole range of merchandise, including Minecraft: Official Magazine, T-shirts, mugs, calendars, backpacks, hoodies, tie-ins with Lego, and Minecraft mini-games.
Most recently a Minecraft movie has been proposed for 2019 (with Warner Bros. film studio). Minecraft has become a global brand with its own marketplace (its fans) to which to sell these offline commodities.

Question...

Is it inevitable that independent media producers, such as Mojang, will be bought out by conglomerates like Microsoft?

It does seem that in the history of the media there is a recognised pattern of diversification of interests by leading commercial companies in the takeover of independent producers- a pattern that has been long established in for example, film making. It is extremely possible that eventually a lot of the independent media producers will be bought out by conglomerates especially considering it happened to such a large company like Microsoft. Larger companies or conglomerates will make large money offers to smaller companies which they will not be able to refuse. This allows both the large company and the independent media producers to both benefit financially and allow the brand and company to become much larger and popular.

Developments in Production:

2017 Microsoft ownership develops the cross platform capability of Minecraft which is now available on C gamers but those who own smartphones, Microsoft consoles (Xbox);

Playstation 3, 4 and PS Vita; and more recently Nintendo consoles (Wii U) and hand-held devices (Nintendo Switch and Nintendo New 3DS, New 2DS XL and New 3DS XL)

While Mojang have remained the public face of the game, the groundwork for a cross-play Minecraft was laid, not in Sweden, but in Redmond. At last year’s E3, I met the American team behind the Windows 10 Edition. Their principal work has been to take Minecraft: Pocket Edition, which traditionally lagged behind its parent game, and turn it into the full-featured, cross-platform version presented at E3 this week.

Overall, there have been lots of changes made in the game that a lot of the gamers and players may or may not have been happy with the results. This occurred after the new ownership and management.

Development:

Here are a few significant milestones reflecting the transformation of gaming technology...

the first generation of consoles emerged such as Microsoft Xbox
the launch of the top-selling Wii console with which the user could control game actions with real life movement of the controller
the rise of casual PC games marketed to non-gamers and the emergence of cloud computing in video games
PC gaming has held large market share in Asia and Europe for decades and continues to grow due to digital distribution
with the widespread consumer use of smartphones, mobile gaming has become a diving factor for games reaching users formerly not interested in gaming or those unable to afford/support dedicated hardware such as video game consoles

Audience:

•Minecraft has sold over 100 million copies sold (across PC, mobile and console)

•Minecraft is a global product. With users in the 112 countries that register legal downloads

-The USA, the UK and Canada have the most appetite for Minecraft downloads

-Countries in northern Europe, Japan and Australia constitute the remaining top ten

•Grand Theft Auto V, which has sold approximately 65 million copies

Microsoft reports that the game has been selling at an average pace of 53,000 copies a day since the start of 2016

Age Audiences:

under 15 (147 votes [20.59%])

15-21 (312 votes [43.70%])

22-30 (150 votes [21.01%])

31-40 (58 votes [8.12%])

41-50 (23 votes [3.22%])

51-60 (5 votes [0.70%])

61-70 (1 votes [0.14%])

71-80 (1 votes [0.14%])

81+ (17 votes [2.38%])

An age poll on Minecraft Forums states that the profile of the 86 per cent of players who were under 30 was made up of...

20% aged under 15
44% aged 15-21
22% aged 22-30

Teenagers in North America and Europe seem to be the dominating demographic , with the majority of that demographic being male

This is reflected in the ethos and game design, which have particularly masculine characteristics in terms of constructing and creating

Even though the game can be played by everyone, there seems to be an affinity for males, predominantly young <30

Uses and Gratification Theory:

As a sandpit game users may be drawn to the game for the purposes of...

•Entertainment

•Education

•Interaction

What makes Minecraft popular with its audience is its multiple game play modes, which consist mainly of adding and mining a variety of different blocks in a digitally created world compared with other game genres, such as the ‘shooter’ genre.

Audience Interaction:

Minecraft also relies on audience interaction across games in order for the gamer to access an infinite world of craft and building. This is the key characteristic and asset of Minecraft as a sandbox game, which is immersive in its play in different realms and cultures.

Users can create a digital world and invite fellow gamers, for example, in the Gardens of External Fall.

It is in these realms that interactive play creates characters or mods, and modifications are created by the audience as an extra for the games that they are playing. It is this creative and interactive aspect of the game that engages Minecraft ’s audience.

Creating mods has the feel of programming in the beta version of the game. It gives more options to the player to interact with the Minecraft world, changing the feel of it- indeed, Minecraft’s users see the game as thrilling and imaginative.

Practice Questions...

Evaluate how ongoing audience interaction influences the production of video games, making specific reference to Minecraft in your answer:

There is also access to interact with other people online, linking to the popular aspect of audience interaction. Users can create a digital world and invite fellow gamers to play along with them. This links to the Uses and Gratification theory and the idea that players can educate, entertain and interact with one another whilst playing Minecraft. This high level of enjoyment increases the number of gamers wanting to play and interact with each other whilst potentially making new friendships during playing the game. Due to the fact that players can interact with one another and chat online, this game could be seen as some type of social media which will then be known as a popular way for people to interact when necessary whilst playing a game that they enjoy, instead of using other social medias like Instagram or Snapchat.

Furthermore, players can also interact with the Minecraft world, and creating almost a more personal relationship with the game. There is a high possibility of gamers/users easily becoming addicted to Minecraft to keep up with the interaction with both people and the game. Minecraft allows gamers to play in a creative setting/world to allow the player to become very creative and imaginative with what they choose to do in the game.

However, the game also allows you to play in other settings/worlds/modes such as; Survival, Adventure, Spectator and Hardcore (as well as Creative). The different modes have been ranked based on their different game types- for example, Survival mode is game type 0, Creative mode is game type 1, Adventure is game type 2 and Spectator is game type 3.

In the Minecraft game there is also the feature of designing and choosing your own skin to wear throughout the game. This has been known to be a very popular feature that most users/gamers like to do. The choice of different skins can become even more creative when designing or creating your own one. Therefore, linking to the Uses and Gratification theory of interacting with the game creatively. This then may lead onto the interaction between players when discussing or sharing their skins they are wearing or have created.It gives more options to the player to interact with the Minecraft world, changing the feel of it- indeed, Minecraft’s users see the game as thrilling and imaginative.

Players may start to become very attached to their own avatar and almost feel as though they have some form of a relationship with the character that is most likely very similar to the person who created the fictional character. Also, it allows animals to be a feature within the game which could also be seen as something users can get attached to and treat as their own pet in the fictional world.

Minecraft relies on audience interaction across games in order for the gamer to access different types of worlds and modes. The key characteristics of this Minecraft, being a sand box game is the idea of entering different realms and cultures.

Discuss how video games are marketed and distributed, making reference to Minecraft in your answer:

In the beginning, Mojang (the owner) relied upon the social spreading within conversations from its users and the online community of computer programmers and gamers. However, once Microsoft took over Minecraft it started to develop plenty of opportunities to market the brand and highlight its gaming features.

Persson and his company, Mojang Studios, had a game concept with exponential global growth but without commercial backing from a mainstream publisher. Persson had the vision to circulate and generate the game via the internet and the video game community so spreading the the message virally about the games value.

Therefore, increasing the the way that Minecraft has effectively managed and maximised its audience is the foundation of its success.

Minecraft has been released on multiple platforms and has increased audience interactivity. It was packaged as a game brand for a wider global audience and not just video gamers.

For example, the media has mentioned that there will be a Minecraft movie being released 4th March 2022 which will highly market different features of the game. Therefore, increasing the popularity of the game. The Minecraft website states; 'we’ll tell you the story of a teenage girl and her unlikely group of adventurers. After the malevolent Ender Dragon sets out on a path of destruction, they must save their beautiful, blocky Overworld. Sounds ambitious! Luckily, the very talented director Peter Sollett will be making sure everyone stands in the right place and delivers award-worthy performances'. This then links to the theory of Uses of Gratification and the idea that there is follow up entertainment occurring within the game.

Minecraft has also been linked to non-profit projects such as the UN’s Block by Block project, which encourages communities around the world to redesign their neighbourhoods using Minecraft. Also an educational version has also been developed, Minecraft Education (2012), which has several applications to help teach subjects and develop a culture of computer programming among digital natives. This can also link to the Uses and Gratification theory that implies how gamers may feel obliged to play the sandpit game as it features a form of education.

Another form of how Minecraft is being marketed is the different marketing of the merchandise themed within Minecraft that people can purchase both online and within shops. This allows players to become even more involved with the game and feel more attached to it.

Within these merchandising products some of the toys have collaborated with both Lego and Minecraft. As a form of further marketing, Lego has used the same features to advertise both products and you can now play Lego's own version of the world building game Minecraft. Lego Minecraft is a licensed Lego theme of sets based on Minecraft. Currently, 47 sets have been released. Lego being a very well known brand of toys for lots of young children showing their collaboration with Minecraft therefore advertises the game and enhances its popularity.