Minecraft Fact sheet

Created and designed by Swedish Markus Persson in Mojang Studios in May 2009, Minecraft was finally released in November 2011 where is eventually became the second most successful game ever created under Tetris. $121M+ copies sold over all platforms, $27M PC copies (highest selling PC game).

Questions on this section will explore the production, distribution and circulation as well as how the processes affect media forms and platforms. Also how Minecraft targets, reaches and addresses customers as well as examines the way an audience reacts both as consumers and prosumers.

Demographic originally was : Male, Geeky, Educated 25-55 year old individualists. Problem solvers, Pragmatic and scientific as well as interested in engineering.
Now: Diverse age gender ethnic demographic crossing social economic backgrounds.

Digitally convergent media example is how on consoles you can stream, access social media, use the internet as well as gaming.
Distribution regards tangible disc copies opposed to cloud based digital ones.
Consumption regarding user generated content on several platforms.

Media industries:
UK Interactive Entertainment suggest that the global games market is now worth around $100 billion a year, estimating growth of $120 billion by 2020. UK - $4 Billion. US - $23.6 Billion.
China - $24.4 Billion.
70s were the golden era for gaming which peaked between 1978-1983 however crashed heavily around 1985 due to rival consoles, poorly designed games and a lack of quality control lowering its worth to around just $100 Million.
30+ years later there is now a resurgence in the industry with new types of gamers and tighter regulation aided by developments in both internet speed and accessibility. Culturally and financially significant in places like Japan, Europe and the USA as new console and game releases by popular brands are classed as major economic events.

Minecraft:
A sandbox game described as a virtual world of lego with instructions to explore, mine and build.
Without commercial backing from mainstream publishers and no money spent on advertising, the game relied on word of mouth between gamers. Popularity leading from this and its official release enabled its release on other platforms such as on Sony Xperia play and Android/iOS devices.
Formats - By 2012 it was available on Xbox 360 and Xbox live.
Microsoft bought Minecraft in 2014 for $2.5 Billion.
Distribution is seen as versions of the game can be purchased on the internet using playstation network or Xbox live arcade recently added to the Nintendo platform, available to download from December 2015 with tangible copies from June 2016 and most recently Nintendo switch May 2017.
Critical reception on its release proved good as it won five awards including an innovation award, best debut game, Best downloadable game, Audience award and Seumas Mcnally grand prize.
Genre (sandbox game) due to lack of structure or constraint, players can use the freedom to choose how they use the content available.

Process of production, distribution and circulation by organisations, groups and individuals in a global context:
The specialised and institutionalised nature of media production, distribution or circulation.
A PC java game has become a globally successful phenomenon across many platforms.
Modern versions such as Minecraft story mode follow more recognisable institutional conventions of game development such as tutorials which the original Minecraft never had.
In global context Microsoft buying Mojang $2.5B is a testament to the lucrative industry and global appeal.
The relationship of recent technological change and media production, distribution and circulation.
Physical copy of game not needed, wanted to put on windows 10 to promote Microsoft brand across home computers as a form of synergy. Users encouraged to download the game through cloud servers as physical copies incurred more of a cost to the institution.

Significance of patterns of ownership and control, including conglomerate ownership, vertical integration and diversification:
Markus Persson was quick to vocalise that he would not be developing a version of Minecraft with Oculus because Facebook was not owned by a group of 'grassroots' game developers. However  when Microsoft bought out Mojang and the intellectual property rights of Minecraft in November 2014, plans to work on a virtual reality version of Minecraft were renewed; Markus Persson's stakes in the company were no more. Sparking interest about the ideology of game developers and prosumers who often surrender their creative license to cologmerate interests to maximise profits.

Economic factors including not-for-profit public funding and commercial to media industries and their products:
Games often have simultaneous releases across each game market.
Budgets vary but Minecraft is a game made on readily available software (Java) making it a cross-platform running on Windows Mac OS X and Linux. By comparison other mainstream games require entire teams that have budgets up to that of mainstream films.
Link with Not-for-profit projects like UNs Block by Block project, encouraging communities globally to redesign their neighbourhoods using the game.
MinecraftEdu 2012 is educational to help develop a culture of computer programming amongst digital natives.

Maintaining audiences nationally and globally including through marketing:
Cultural impact significant, can put success down to word of mouth and audience sharing of mods and game footage across web forums e.g. YouTube.
Different versions released to entice different audiences including story modes.
Physical lego set introduced to entice younger audiences as well as merchandise opportunities and bonus content.
Culturally intertextual links have been made to the game by Runescape, The Elder Scrolls V, South park and The Simpsons etc. Heightens exposure to audiences.
2019 it is predicted that a joint venture with Warner Brothers will result in Minecraft the movie anticipated to have equal commercial success to The Lego Movie with likely spin-offs.

Framework in contemporary media UK and impact of new digital technologies on regulation including role of individual producers:
The UK video standards council uses the PEGI rating system on Minecraft, it is family friendly thus it was rated a PEGI 7.
Consider whether a game like Minecraft needs regulating and then consider the impact of freely available fan-made videos where language a content is more risqué,
Direct comparison to Tetris PEGI 3.
Realms hosted on specialised servers by Mojang. Stipulations by the company that they own anything created using blocks in their own game and that you will not always have to be accredited for worlds or structures created by fans.
2016 marketplace for communities to trade maps, skins and texture packs.

Media audiences:
PC version noted for its modding scene where prosumers would alter mechanics and create new skins.
MineCon conventions globally, Music a popular convention of the game.
July 2017 cross-play feature meant less emphasis on brand loyalty to consoles.
Focus on developing content for newer devides such as 3DSXL which is concerning regarding proliferation of technology and sustainability of audiences being able to afford new consoles just to play a game.
New generation of gamers who prefer hand held devices over traditional consoles.
Fan made media across social media and fan sites/blogs shows active community sharing common interests. The Yogscast are an active YouTube account producing these videos collecting Billions of views.
Conventions will take place online in the future as the game shows no signs of deteriorating.
Fan made clones of the game are across all market places and various merchandise (official and fan made) is available to purchase online as well as books/magazines after a deal with the Egmont Group.

Audiences grouped and categorised by industries by age, gender and social class, lifestyles as well as taste:
Variety of game modes contributes to its success but also how audiences control and shape their worlds.
How producers target, attract, reach, address and construct audiences:
Creation of realms was a way of attracting and encouraging audiences to use the game on dedicated servers and increase subscription revenues, new experiences can be found online shared by prosumers.
Targeting audiences through content and appeal of media products and through ways they are marketed, distributed and circulated:
Word of mouth across forums was enough to create a buzz about it, now it is established and owned by a division of a conglomerate, advertising methods are alike mainstream releases.
Interrelationship between media technologies and patterns of consumption/response:
YouTube, Facebook and online fan communities enable active voice for audience in its ongoing production.
Audience interpretation including how they interpret the same media in different ways:
Several formats and versions to play the game however cross-play is most important.
Audiences interaction with media can be actively involved:
Minecraft Marketplace is industry listening to its fans  allowing the trading of maps and skins.
Can learn new skills such as programming.
Dedicated YouTube channels.

Theories to reference:
Sonia Livingston and Peter Lunt Regulation Theory
New technologies open ip opportunities and risks that complicate regulation.

David Hesmondhalgh Cultural Industries Theory
How cultural industry companies attempt to minimise risk and maximise audiences.

David Gauntlett Identity Theory
series of studies around lego to create and share ideas. Connecting is all about how prople build a strong sense of self-identity through creativity.

Henry Jenkins Fandom Theory
'if it doesn't spread, it's dead' strong well developed fan base who actively promote the game on social media platforms.

Clay Shirky's End of Audience Theory
Audiences are mainly prosumers at modern day.

Gaming Industry over 50 years old. Minecraft 2011.
£3.6 Billion annually on marketing online and app platforms are massively successful.
Gamers now - Nearly 50% gender split with significant 35-55 secondary demographic.
Triple A Games often multi platform with even higher production values.
Mainstream games have Oligopoly control e.g. Sony, Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, Activision.
Safe genres make money, Sandbox.
Regulation - AA and FPS most violent.
Rapid change - steam revolutionised distribution over 10 years ago.
Originally an Indie now globally massive including meme/clones/merchandising.
Defined as a casual game probably because of a lack of narrative/goals/objective like Sims.
Video evidences Minecraft and cultural appropriation for purposes of improving well being and health care.
PEGI - Pan European Games Information