Minecraft: new Marketplace For Community Creators
Minecraft: New marketplace for community creators By Steffan Powell Newsbeat reporter
10 April 2017
Minecraft hopes to make it easier for users to access content made by community members and fans.
Many users have already created intricate worlds for exploration, adventures to enjoy, or altered the game to offer new experiences.
Now they''ll be able to sell their content directly via the game itself, in the brand-new Minecraft Marketplace.
"We would like to help entrepreneurs to start businesses through our platform," producer John Thornton says to Newsbeat.
The creators of adventure maps, character skin packs or other experiences for the game are not allowed to sell these to other players.
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Only official Minecraft content can be sold that way, but that hasn''t stopped some people making a living from the game.
James Delaney, is founder of a group of Minecraft creators dubbed Blockworks and has been able to establish a business despite the limitations.
He is happy to welcome the Marketplace.
He told Newsbeat that he hopes that it will be the start of a steady and consistent income.
"In the past, we relied on commissions to bring into our businesses, and you do not know when that time will come."
He is responsible for 62 creators that work in 20 countries.
Their primary source of income comes from creating Minecraft-based content to support marketing and educational campaigns.
James "got really into" making Minecraft maps with friends online and realised a few years later that there was a way to make a living.
He says, "At least now we know there is an audience for our content."
"If it is successful it will mean that we will be able to work on a more consistent and stable basis."
"Also, it''s content that we can decide to create rather than being asked to create. We have the creative control over it."
The marketplace will go live later this year and be accessible on the Windows 10 and Pocket versions of the game.
It means the majority of the estimated 120 million players of Minecraft around the world will be able to access it but those who play on consoles won''t.
John Thornton states, "Our goal is to work towards connecting creators and players."
"On Pocket edition it can be difficult to transfer content onto devices, which means it''s difficult for creators to show off the content they''d like to share with the world.
"By connecting creators and the marketplace, it will make it easier for players to find something they like, then purchase it, and then download it available on their devices."
People will be able to build community experiences outside the market, and players will be having access to them for free.
Producers hope that people will purchase content that is easier to locate.
"If you wish to share content at the moment you have to put it online and tell people where to find it," says John.
"You can make use of existing social networks to do this, but it''s much more effective to bring this into the game."
"Players are able to interact with things they want to interact with in the context of the game they enjoy."
He hopes that the game will enable James to start an enterprise that is successful.
The Minecraft team has launched the new service with nine creators from across the globe to begin.
The central Minecraft team will be monitoring the adventure maps, skin packs, and experiences to ensure they are suitable for the audience of the game.
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