An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Notch showed off a game called “Minecraft” on the TIGsource.com forums. The original post however didn’t have a name for the game, and the community was responsible for the now iconic “Minecraft”.
In the history books of the future, this generation will be known as “The Minecraft Generation”. A bold claim, and yet quite possibly a true one. Minecraft has become such an integral part of so many lives, that defines us.
Minecraft was first released to the public on May 17, 2009, 04:24:07 AM. A little known user on the TIGsource.com forums, Notch, was showing off a game without a name. The image above was attached to the post, and users could launch an in browser applet. The community, more specifically a user named Paul Eres came up with the name, and it was originally called “Minecraft: Order of the Stone.” From that point in time onwards, Minecraft was in existence, and the world was changed forever.
The feedback Notch got was positive. Users loved the sense of exploration, the ability to build, and the infinite possibilites.
Unsurprisingly, the only complaint raised was “stop killing my free time ):” Minecraft was an instant hit, and it grew from there. Indev, Infdev, Alpha, Beta, and finally in 2011, the full release at Minecon.
Today, Minecraft is avalible on multiple platforms, with both “next-gen” consoles, both previous gen consoles, android and iOS devices, raspberry Pi’s and PS Vitas all offering Minecraft as a title to play. Minecraft hit 100 million users in February 2014, and is still growing.
Why the “Minecraft Generation”? Minecraft has become more than a game. Sure, people still play it for entertainment, but it’s also been used for mapping out Britain, teaching kids English, Mathematics, Electronics and more, creating renditions of popular music and possibly even a movie. Minecraft has even made it into the Museum of Modern Art.
When a game has more than 100 million legit players, but is also used in so many other real world contexts, it’s hard not to think that it might mean something. Furthermore, Minecraft is played by a lot of kids. As we know, kids are the future leaders of the world. It’s very possible that within the next 20 years, we might have leaders who grew up with Minecraft. How awesome would that be?
While we have to wait for the history books to come out, my money is on the 2010+ era being named for Minecraft.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
