Abstract Submission Deadline: October 1, 2013
Since being officially released in 2011, Minecraft has sold over 11 million copies on the PC and more than 20 million copies across all platforms (PC, Mac, Android, iOS, Xbox360). It has over 7 million likes on Facebook and is the subject of millions of YouTube videos, including a Gangnam style parody. There is a Minecraft convention, Minecon, and an organization dedicated to using Minecraft in the classroom, MinecraftEdu. Considering that the game relies heavily on word of mouth marketing and looks as if it were produced three decades ago, its popularity is nothing short of amazing.
The premise of Minecraft is simple: destroy, collect, build, and interact in a world made entirely of tiny colored squares. If one is playing in survival mode, as opposed to creative mode, there is also the added challenge of staving off hunger and fighting mobs. Unlike blocks, Legos, or other toy building materials, Minecraft’s simple tool set allows for virtually limitless creations without the cost and limitations imposed by physicality. The fact that Mojang, the company that produces the game, encourages modifications and other uses of their intellectual property engenders even more creativity and enthusiasm from fans.
The purpose of this edited collection is to provide an accessible scholarly overview of the cultural significance of Minecraft. Essays on the following subjects are especially welcome: the appeal of Minecraft; the ways in which players engage or do not engage the content; the intersection between Minecraft and other popular media texts; the culture of the game world or gaming community; the impact of Minecraft on game design, game culture, and society; utilization of the game for architecture and urban planning projects; and pedagogies that incorporate Minecraft.
A contract has been issued by a commercial press for this book. For full consideration, prospective contributors should e-mail a brief abstract or complete chapter length essay to garreln1@ferris.edu by October 1, 2013. Materials received after the deadline may not receive full consideration. At the top of the abstract please include the title of the essay, your name (and the name of any co-authors), school or work affiliation, mailing address, e-mail address, and phone number. Contributors will be contacted by email as soon as a decision is made and receive additional information at that time. Final essays of approximately 6,000 words will be due by January 15, 2014.