Minecraft has
become hugely commercially and critically successful as a multi-platform game,
known as an ‘open game’. The aim and key focuses of the game are specifically
building, strategy and the idea of a survival game where you have unlimited lives
and can respawn all around the map. Although Minecraft falls under the genre of
a sandbox indie game which typically doesn’t attract a wide audience, however, Minecraft
has been majorly popular because during in 2009 (when it was released) there
was nothing similar currently around.
A lot of the company’s
success is due to the unique style and blocky look that the game creates which
allows a range of textures and patterns which are classically known and people
will associate with Minecraft.
Minecraft has
not been created in an attempt to compete with cinematic graphics and instead
uses a grid based format which makes the concept of building much simpler and therefore
attracts a larger range of audiences from the age 8+. This also gives the game
to have educational element as it allows children to create and develop their
own world where they can learn both practical skills and social skills. The
game teaches the player how to build axes, hoes, and other tools, as well as
giving them a chance to farm crops and animals and make food. Similarly, a
player can connect with friends and join their own worlds or open severs then within
the game the players can chat and write messages which send to all of the other
players in the server. This helps to build social skills and can help people
work within a group to build something or to play a game.
The creator
Markus ‘Notch’ Persson reduced the cost by making the game initially based off
of a simple idea (the pixel look format). Additionally, by Persson developing
the game on his own it allowed him to keep the cost lower rather than having to
employ multiple creators to begin with, which he can now afford and he
currently has 15-20 developers working for him. Without any commercial backing
of a mainstream publish, Persson relied on word of mouth alone which lucky quickly
spread.
Minecraft (Mojang)
has worked alongside of multiple clothing and toy companies, such as; Lego where
mini figures have been created, for example: Steve, creepers, cows, sheep, chickens,
along with many other characters and figures within the game. Smaller companies
also make Minecraft merchandise like cardboard cut outs, plastic figurines, similar
figurines but in surprise packaging where you only find out what character you
have got once you have brought the product. Companies like these also sell hand
books, manuals and annuals for example the Egmont group. Mojang collaborated with
the company “J!NX” to release a clothing line which featured tops, pyjamas,
hats and other clothing items. This helps to increase the success of Minecraft
and again is another effective way of getting the name around and gaining
interest in the game.
The game allows
the player to do multiple things such as buy new skins where they can dress up
as different characters within the game, some skins are free and you can
download apps where you can create your own skin then download it onto Minecraft,
this helps to keep the gamers interested as by adding extra apps which can link
onto the one main server it stops the game from getting boring. Also, the larger/
more well know players can create their own servers with games on which you can
find, for example: Lifeboat, InPvP, and Mineplex where players from all around
the world can connect.
The game has
frequent updates which change with the generations, adding new ideas and concepts
this also helps to keep people hocked and to attract newer audiences.
Minecraft can be
played on multiple devices such as: PCs, IPhones, tablets, play station, Xbox
and androids allowing everyone to join in. Nowadays everyone has a smart phone
meaning there is no limits to someone’s imagination and creativity because Minecraft
allows you to almost escape from your world and become someone else for the
time you are playing it which can become very addictive making players want to
enter back onto their virtual world.
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