1. The first version of Minecraft was created in just six days.
In 2009, Swedish programmer and designer Markus Persson set out to create a sandbox game—one that allows for free and organic exploration of a virtual world—for the launch of his new company, Mojang AB. Persson began work on what is now Minecraft on May 10 of that year, amending the product in increments until May 16. The “alpha version” of Minecraft made its public debut the very next day.
2. Minecraft wasn’t deemed complete for another two years.
Following Minecraft’s release on PC, Mojang would periodically update and tweak the game until delivering what the company considered its full version on November 18, 2011.
3. Minecraft’s first name was much more straightforward.
When Minecraft's creator kicked off the development process, he referred to the project as Cave Game. The name was soon changed to Minecraft: Order of the Stone, and, ultimately, just Minecraft.
4. Minecraft was inspired by several other games.
Minecraft’s creator has heralded PC video games Dwarf Fortress, Dungeon Keeper, RollerCoaster Tycoon, and Infiniminer as the primary influences for Minecraft. He has expressed particular esteem for Infiniminer, stating that he wanted to match its aesthetic charm with RPG-style gameplay.
5. Creepers began as a coding error.
One of Minecraft’s stranger native species is the creeper, an electrically charged predator with a haunting mug. The game's creator didn’t actually set out to design such a monster; he was trying to create a pig, but accidentally switched the figures for desired height and length when inputting the code. The result was the monstrosity that players know and love.
6. Gamers theorize that the Enderman language is actually English in reverse (or pitched down).
Another haunting Minecraft species is the Enderman. While this creature’s speech is nearly incomprehensible to the human ear, some fans believe it's simply English words and phrases (including “hiya,” “here,” “this way,” “forever,” and “what’s up?”) played backward or lowered in pitch. The game's developers, however, have disputed this theory.
7. Ghasts are voiced by a sleeping cat.
One other Minecraft monster owes its vocal rumblings to a real-world creature. Any player will recognize the high-pitched whine of the ghast, the game’s resident block-shaped fire-breather. These sounds are actually the result of an accidental audio recording of Minecraft music producer Daniel “C418” Rosenfeld’s cat as it was suddenly awakened from a nap.
8. Minecraft plays a big role at a Swedish school…
In 2013, the Viktor Rydberg secondary school in Stockholm introduced Minecraft as a mandatory part of its curriculum for all of its 13-year-old students. A teacher explained what made the game worthwhile for students: “They learn about city planning, environmental issues, getting things done, and even how to plan for the future.”
9. But Minecraft is an even bigger deal in Denmark.
Sweden’s neighbor to the south has touted an even more impressive affection for Minecraft. In 2014, state employees Simon Kokkendorf and Thorbjørn Nielsen of the Danish Geodata Agency completed a scale replica of the entire nation of Denmark within the digital world-building game to help drive interest in geographic data.
10. Minecraft’s fame is the product of free marketing.
According to a study conducted by Annenberg School of Communication doctoral student Alex Leavitt, one-third of early Minecraft users first heard about the game from friends and another third discovered the game through YouTube videos.
You must be logged in to post a comment.