Minecraft, which was released more than a decade ago by Mojang Studio, has grown into one of the most recognizable video game franchises in the world, with millions of people playing it in every country and territory, including Antarctica and Vatican City. The open-world sandbox game contains elements of exploration, creation, and community that appeal to both adults and children.
Furthermore, Minecraft launched hundreds of streaming careers and content creators’ channels, making it one of the most watched games on streaming platforms of all time. On YouTube alone, Minecraft videos have been viewed over 1 trillion times!
You’ve probably heard about Minecraft for quite some time. Perhaps you’ve learned a lot about it from your children, or you’re just getting started. In any case, if you’re curious about the risks and benefits of your child playing Minecraft, keep reading.
What is Minecraft?
In the video game Minecraft, players build and destroy different sorts of blocks in three-dimensional environments. There are two primary game modes: Survival and Creative. Players in Survival are required to procure their building materials and food. They can also interact with moving creatures or mobs that resemble blocks. (Some of the deadly ones include zombies and creepers.) Players in Creative receive materials and don’t need to eat to survive. They are also instantly capable of breaking any type of block.
Who is Minecraft Developer?
Mojang Studios created the sandbox video game Minecraft. Markus “Notch” Persson used the Java programming language to construct the game. It was first made public in May 2009 after undergoing numerous early private testing iterations, and it was completely released in November 2011 after Notch stepped down and Jens “Jeb” Bergensten took over development. With over 238 million copies sold and almost 140 million monthly active users as of 2021, Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time. It has since been adapted to several other platforms.
In Minecraft, users can locate and extract raw materials, make tools and things, and construct buildings, earthworks, and rudimentary machinery in a blocky randomly generated 3D world with nearly unlimited topography. Players can cooperate with or compete with other players in the same globe depending on the game style they are playing. They can also combat hostile mobs. There are several game modes, including a survival mode (where players must gather resources to construct in the world and keep themselves healthy) and a creative mode (where players have unlimited resources and access to flight). An extensive range of user-generated content is also available, adding additional game mechanics and opportunities. Examples include mods, servers, skins, texture packs, and custom maps.
Why Guide to Minecraft Need?
If you have a child who enjoys Minecraft, you may be wondering what the big deal is. What activities will they engage in during the game? Most importantly, is it safe and suitable for your child? This blog post contains all of the information you need to make an informed decision about whether or not Minecraft is right for your family.
Guide to Minecraft
Here is the Guide to Minecraft for you to read and comprehend. Observe the provided guide carefully.
The Basics
Minecraft is a sandbox-style game created by Swedish programmer and gamer Markus “Notch” Persson. The game was further developed under Persson’s supervision by the company Mojang, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2014. The game is procedurally generated and focuses on resource gathering, crafting items, building, and (at the discretion of the player) combat.
Sandbox games are the polar opposite of linear game play. Sandbox games let you do almost anything (within the constraints of the game engine), just like a real-life sandbox lets you build and play however you want. In the sandbox, you can play however you want, build whatever you want, and guide your game to be the game you want it to be. Whether you want to explore far and wide, build a massive castle, play hide and seek with your friends, collect all the items in the game, or whatever else your heart desires, sandbox games allow for a variety of play that goes far beyond the traditional “Beat level one.” Obtain a magical item. “Complete level two,” and so on.
This play experience relies heavily on procedural generation. Again, unlike most other video games, which carefully cultivate and script the game and the player’s experience, the Minecraft experience is unique. Every single Minecraft map, the space in which players can play and explore, is unique. The game engine, in conjunction with the “seed” (a player-supplied or randomly generated alphanumeric string), creates a unique world filled with various biomes, caves, creatures, and other features.
This “do whatever you want” sandbox experience, combined with the “the world is nearly infinite!” procedural generation, results in a game where you can play however you want, with nearly infinite space and resources to do so. The very aspect of the game that makes many people wonder, “What’s the point?” is also what makes it appealing to so many children and adults alike. It’s a game that doesn’t come with a rulebook, instructions, or even a hint about what the player should (or should not) do. Learning the ropes is a rewarding and entertaining experience in and of itself. It’s play for the sake of play, much like LEGO blocks.
Players begin the game as a generic player, a castaway if you will, who wakes up on a newly generated map and must break blocks to gather resources, use the resources to craft tools, and then use those tools to break more blocks while building and exploring. The beauty of Minecraft is what players do with that “all the while” time. You can construct a castle, explore the oceans, recreate your backyard (or entire hometown), or do whatever your heart desires.
Is Minecraft Appropriate for Kids?
Minecraft is rated E10+ (Everyone 10+) and has a Fantasy Violence Content Descriptor. It also includes Interactive Elements for User Interaction (meaning that players can communicate online if they wish) and In-Game Purchases (meaning the game offers the ability to exchange real-world currency for in-game currency or items).
Minecraft does not contain any violent or gory content. When defeated, enemies and other creatures simply vanish, and while players can kill non-threatening animals for food, these displays are not glorified. Pickaxes and dynamite are used to blow up terrain and enemies, but these are blocky and cartoony in appearance. In survival mode, players can die from starvation, burning, drowning, falling, or being attacked by hostile creatures, among other things; however, these outcomes are not displayed, and players can simply respawn after succumbing to the elements.
Community Features
Players can also join private servers set up by community members who are not controlled or moderated by Mojang Studios. Servers may host users with whom parents are unfamiliar. Other players who bother them can be “blocked” or “muted.” Many servers are configured to censor profanity in text chat by default; however, some servers – which is an individual player’s “world” – are configured by their host to allow more explicit or objectionable content subject to the specific community guidelines they establish. Although voice chat is not available in the game, players can use other platforms such as Discord to communicate while playing.
Parents should keep an eye on which servers their children are using to see if the user base is appropriate. You can also set up a private server for your children called a Minecraft Realm, which allows you to approve or deny who is allowed to enter. Microsoft parental controls also allow parents to create a child account to manage online communications in other Windows PC and Xbox games, in addition to Minecraft.
Differentiating Versions of Minecraft
There are two versions of Minecraft: Minecraft Java Edition and Minecraft Bedrock Edition. The primary distinction between these two is the platforms on which they are available. Java Edition is available for PC, Mac, and Linux. Bedrock, on the other hand, is compatible with Windows 10 and 11, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, Fire OS/TV, Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, and Samsung Gear VR. Players using the Java Edition cannot play with players using the Bedrock Edition, so if your child plays Minecraft on a PC and wants to play with their friends online, they must first determine which version their friends are using.
Other differences between the two versions include how players access user-created “mods,” or downloadable content for the game such as skins and maps. Mods in the Bedrock Edition are curated and only available through the Minecraft Marketplace, implying that the quality will be more limited but consistent. The Bedrock Edition supports cross-platform play on a much wider range of platforms, whereas the Java Edition is limited to playing with other PC users. More information on the differences between Minecraft Java Edition and Minecraft Bedrock Edition can be found here and here.
How Much Does Minecraft Cost?
Minecraft is available for almost every modern console, smartphone, tablet, and computer, but the cost varies depending on the platform your children use.
“Minecoins” (Minecraft’s in-game currency) can be used to purchase add-ons and skins in the Minecraft Marketplace regardless of version. It should be noted that any add-ons are completely optional, and the game can be played without making any additional purchases. Minecoins aren’t available for purchase on all platforms, so it’s possible that you won’t be able to use it at all. More information about where to buy Minecoins can be found here.
Remember that parental controls are available on all gaming devices, allowing you to restrict or limit the ability to make in-game purchases. You can also set limits on in-game purchases and manage what your children play, with whom, and for how long.
If you came to this article brand new to Minecraft, you probably know just enough to have a rough idea of what the game is about, the various ways to play it, and how your kids can play it both on the local network and the wider Internet. Despite how simple the game appears, there is so much going on within it, so much available through modding, player-created maps, and more, as well as such a thriving Minecraft community.
