Minecraft Flashcards
Who created and designed Minecraft?
Markus Perrson
What company developed and produced the game?
Mojang
When was the full version released?
Nov 2011
How many registered users did the game have before its official release?
16 million
What was released in 2013?
Minecraft: Pi Edition meant for education to teach novice programmers
Where can versions of the game be purchased?
X Box Live Arcade, Playstation Network, Nintendo, Steam
What 5 awards did it win on release?
Innovation Award, Best Debut Game, Best Downloadable Game, Audience Award and Seumas McNally Grand Prize
What genre is Minecraft?
A sandbox game or, later, sandbox/survival hybrid
What do some argue has made Minecraft have such a wide appeal across a range of audiences?
The simplistic nature of the game
From starting as a PC Java game, why is the fact it is a multi-platform game important?
Opens up new markets of profitability and increased exposure to new and existing audiences
Which version of the game follow recognisable institutional conventions?
Minecraft: Story Mode which has tutorials on how to play the game etc
Who bought Mojang and for how much?
Microsoft Studios for $2.5 billion
Why was is useful that Minecraft did not need physical copies?
Much cheaper!
How long after the digital downloads are physical copies normally released and why?
6 months - to stop or limit hacking, piracy or file sharing
Why is Microsoft Realms relevant to producers?
Tried to give producers more control over distribution and consumption as pro-am players were creating their own virtual spaces and hacks across illegitimate services (example??)
Give two examples of collaborations.
Telltale Games who helped develop Minecraft: Story mode (2015) and 4JS who developed the PlayStation versions
Why is the use of open source software in the development of the game relevant?
Using Java meant it was cross-platform so run on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux
How were different audiences targeted?
Through different versions eg story mode, spectator mode and multi player functionality across Realms
Give one example of synergy.
Minecraft Lego to attract younger audiences
Give one example of intertextuality.
RuneScape and the Elder Scrolls v, Lady Gaga, The Simpsons and South Park. This all heightens audience exposure to the game.
