Figure 1 Millions Around the World Play Minecraft
It is a simple sandbox game, loved by young and old alike, that gives players the opportunity to build their own three-dimensional worlds, where the only limits are those of individual imaginations. Minecraft has been a global phenomenon ever since its launch in 2011 and continues to win the hearts of new gamers every day.
But in this world of competitive gaming, can Minecraft really be considered as an esport? There are competitions for players around the world but this charming title is very different from the likes of League of Legends and Dota 2, with their million-dollar tournament prizes and markets on the likes of the MyBookie betting app.
Minecraft remains one of the most popular and widely played games on the planet. But is there any real possibility of it becoming as big on the competitive gaming circuit as some of the titles we have already mentioned? And, when it comes down to it, does that even matter?
What Makes a Game an Esport?
That fact that different people will have differing ideas about whether a game like Minecraft can even be an esport, shows that a precise definition of what an esport is – and isn’t – is very difficult to nail down. Minecraft isn’t always competitive for all of its players, but it can be. Should every competitive game be considered an esport?
What we refer to as esports will generally have a competitive gaming scene around it. It is that community that allows the title to grow to the point that large, international tournaments with grand prizes are common. Minecraft may be one of the biggest games in the world, but its competitive gaming scene and community are not as noticeable.
Although there are some Minecraft gamers who enjoy playing competitively in a PvP format, that is not the more common experience. Part of a game becoming an esport is that the community wants it to be in that bracket of gaming. That would not seem to be the case when it comes to Minecraft.
Minecraft Esports and Competitions
There have been a number of incarnations of Minecraft competitions that have attracted an impressive amount of players and attention. But, when you consider the fact that there have been well 300 million copies of the game sold, with around 150 million active monthly players, the lack of a profile in the wider esports world tells its own story.
Previous tournaments like Minecraft Monday were ultimately unsuccessful, while the current MC Championship – which began its fourth season at the beginning of May – has not captured the wider gaming public’s imagination compared to other titles.
There have been a number of initiatives on a smaller scale, using competitive Minecraft as an instructive tool for younger gamers and schoolchildren. But it seems as though this is organized on a more educational level, unlike the major players in the esports world, where global competitions attract professional players who are bankrolled by traditional sports clubs and other big money investors.
Should Minecraft Players Dream of Esport Status?
The larger question with Minecraft and esports is whether the players should even want it to go the way of CS:GO and even Fortnite, where a relatively traditional title is catapulted into the competitive gaming universe. Many Minecraft users seem quite happy just to build their own worlds and use the incredible environment to escape the real world for a while.
It is been fairly obvious that Mojang has little interest in promoting Minecraft as an esport either. With all successful esports, the push for a place at the top of the esports table has always come from the developer. With Mojang seemingly not too bothered, it would need a third party to take the reins – and that seems unlikely.
When Mojang announced that it would also halt any further updates or support for the Minecraft Legends spin-off, that only confirmed the idea that the developer saw no need to attempt to conquer other areas of gaming and esports when its main title was such a market leader.
With its wonderful educational and game-building components, the vast majority of players seem perfectly content with the way things are at the moment. Those who want to play competitively are able to do so. But they must admit that there just is not the wider appetite for that – and that means Minecraft’s ability to be classified as an esport is severely affected.
Figure 2 Building Universes Seems More Important to Minecraft Gamers than Esports
Conclusion
Minecraft will continue to be a hugely popular title that continues to sell globally and make Mojang a lot of money. It brings delight to millions worldwide and also introduces important skills and lessons to younger players – who can then go on to more competitive gaming if they feel the need.
There have been attempts at various times to move Minecraft into the esports arena but there just doesn’t seem to be the desire for that to seriously happen. A loyal community is obviously not enough to turn a title into an esport on its own. It could be argued that Minecraft as a game and a community will then miss out on the millions of dollars in sponsorship that comes with being an esport.
But Minecraft – and Mojang – doesn’t need the financial rewards of esports classification. It will remain one of the most popular games of all time and live within its own global community, to the obvious delight of its fans.
