Minecon 2012!
UPDATE 11/25/12
It’s the closing moments of MineCon 2012, and we’re sad to see the show end. The past two days have been filled with celebrity Mojang sightings, panels discussing everything from how to build epic structures in Minecraft to the ins-and-outs of indie games (not to mention our panel on the Xbox 360 Edition), and a plethora of Minecraft gameplay.
Some of the highlights include how excited people have been to talk about and engage with the game, and how we have had such a wonderful reception for the Xbox 360 Edition. The stations have been full non-stop, and some of the structures that have been created are awe-inspiring. At one point, a group of four players created gigantic mounds of TNT, and blew them all up simultaneously. “Big Boom” is the best way to describe what happened.
If you didn’t catch it on the live stream, Gamespot has also captured the panels that happened at MineCon 2012, and that means you can check out the Xbox LIVE Arcade panel here to get a deeper look at how Microsoft, Mojang, and 4J Studios have approached the development of Minecraft on Xbox 360. Myself (Michael Wolf), and Rog Carpenter (lead producer) were there to represent Microsoft, and we had Daniel Kaplan (project manager and business developer) from Mojang, as well as Patty Burns (product lead), Stuart Ross (programer), and Steven Woodward (tester) at 4J Studios on-hand to deliver a bit of background on the game, and also answer several audience questions.
Overall, MineCon 2012 has been a great place to experience what’s truly unique about Minecraft, and that’s the people who play it. The ages have ranged from the very young to the rather elderly; there were costumes that clearly took months of painstaking labor to create; and throughout the show there has been an incredible sense of joy that has permeated everything. Everyone is thrilled to be here, has had a great time, and wants to share their love of Minecraft.
As the primary sponsor of MineCon 2012, we’re simply thrilled with how this event has truly delivered on the promise of being a show focused squarely on the fans, and only on the fans. Our thanks to the crew at Mojang and the legion of staff volunteers who have slaved over the past several days to make sure everyone had a fantastic time, whether it was playing the Xbox 360 edition, playing on PC, attending panels, exploring exhibits set up by partners, or just hanging out with other fans reminiscing about their creations.
The closing ceremony really delivered this sense of gratefulness to the attendees. Lydia Winters took the stage along with Markus Persson and Jens Bergensten, and the overriding message from the “Mojangstas” was a big THANK YOU to everyone who attended, who participated remotely, and who have made Minecraft a truly unique, community-driven experience. Part of that thank you was thanking the more than 4 million gamers who have downloaded and played Minecraft on Xbox 360, as well as the Minecrafters who have purchased the low-priced Halloween Skins Pack, of which 100% of the revenue is going to various charities. As a result, we’ve had over $700k raised in support of charities like Block by Block, SANDS Lothians, McMillan Cancer Support, and Child’s Play. And as of when this story is published, you only have ONE DAY left to download it! So go check it out!
Thanks everyone!
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- We gave away shirts for the show -- and they were quite popular, as you can see!
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- Signed Xbox 360 consoles, signed by Mojang and 4J Studios!
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- Mojang gave away one of the signed consoles to the winner of the Build contest.
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- Creeper Alert!
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- See you next year!
UPDATE: 11/24/12
Today wrapped up the first day at MineCon 2012, and hoo-boy was it a blast!
Notch, Jeb, and Lydia on-stage from Mojang.
The day started off with an epic opening ceremony (be sure to check out the Gamespot live stream to watch it yourself), hosted by Lydia Winters herself, as she brought the entire Mojang crew on stage for introductions and a few words with Jeb and Notch. Then she brought on several community celebrities — folks who have really created a stir with their efforts and dedication to Minecraft, showcasing the “Minecraft Style” video from Jordan “CaptainSparklez” Maron, and some amazing creative work the guys at Fyre put together for the special charity program “Block by Block”.
It was clear that the real stars of this show are the community that showed up to play the games, engage with one another, and who all are amazing fans of this incredible game.
Crowds await entrance to the opening ceremony
On the Xbox 360 side, we had 65+ Xbox 360 consoles running non-stop with gamers jumping into multiplayer, single player, and co-op games throughout the day, and it was a great chance for folks who normally only play on the PC to try out the console experience. We also handed out some sweet Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition T-shirts to the attendees, and they went quick! We ran out of the day’s allotment in just a handful of hours, encouraging some folks to come back the next day to get a chance to wear one of our sweet Ts.
At 3:30pm in the afternoon, the 4J, Microsoft, and Mojang crew responsible for Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition took the stage, and for the first time ever spoke to a public audience about the work that went in to planning, developing, and releasing Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition. The panel was captured on video, and should be available for viewing in the near future via the Gamestop Live Stream.
But that’s not all MineCon attendees can look forward to! Not only is Microsoft here in full force showing off the console version of the game, but we’ve also partnered with Curse to join in with the Diamond Deposit Scavenger Hunt, where attendees who come by the Xbox 360 console area can earn a hole punch in their scavenger hunt card that enters them to win a slew of prizes, including an Xbox 360 console signed by the teams at Mojang and 4J Studios, as well as a token for a free copy of the game!
Two of these signed consoles will be given away here at MineCon 2012. The third? Stay tuned to find out!
We will also give away one of the consoles during the closing ceremony. But even more exciting is that for you guys, the folks who can’t actually attend the show — we’ll, we’re working on a way to let YOU get a chance to win the third and final console. More details on that to come!
We’re thrilled to be here, and are looking forward to another day of Minecraft fandom having a blast at the show. If you’re here now, be sure to come by! And if you’re not — keep an eye here for ongoing updates, and be sure to swing over to the official MineCon 2012 blog, with the live stream hosted by Gamespot!
And don’t forget that you only have TWO DAYS left to pick up the Halloween Skins Pack, with all proceeds going to charity! Not on your console? No problem! Just click this link to go directly to the Xbox.com page, and you can make your contribution to the cause there.
Happy Minecrafting!
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- Rog poses with a rather large companion.
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- The rather epic opening ceremony of MineCon 2012
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- Just a sampling of some awesome costumes at the show!
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- Crowds await entrance to the opening ceremony
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- The Diamond Deposit Scavenger Hunt
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- The Minecraft Petting Zoo has all sorts of inhabitants!
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- The Xbox 360 Lounge, where attendees and relax for just a bit!
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- Notch signs some exclusive Xbox 360 consoles, along with the rest of the Mojang crew.
Posted 11/23/12
We have arrived! MineCon 2012 is just around the corner, and we’re incredibly excited about the experience die-hard Minecraft fans will have at the show.
This year, MineCon is being held in Disneyland Paris. That’s quite a distance from the event Mojang put on last year, where thousands of fans flocked to Las Vegas, Nevada, for a chance to play Minecraft with fellow crafters and meet a whole slew of Minecraft masterminds, such as the original creator Markus “Notch” Persson and the code-slinging Jens Bergensten, as well as the Mojang “Director of Fun” Lydia Winters.
The whole crew is here again, and this time for charity via the Halloween Skins Pack. Amazing! (And don’t forget to go buy the Halloween Skins Pack if you haven’t already — it’s only available for three more day!)
This year we’re showcasing the console experience again, with split-screen stations, single-player stations, and two-player co-op stations. Staff from Microsoft as well as the developers, 4J Studios, will be on-hand for guided tours of the console experience. For those in attendance, we look forward to interacting with the fans who have made Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition what it is today — and making some new ones! For those of you watching from home — be sure to check back here often for continuing updates, pictures from the event, and a few sneak-peeks inside the workings of the Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition crew. It’s going to be a fantastic weekend!
Au revoir pour l’instant (goodbye for now)!
Michael Wolf and Rog Carpenter - part of the Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition team!
