Minecraft: new Marketplace For Community Creators
Minecraft A new marketplace for community creators By Steffan Powell Newsbeat reporter
10 April 2017
Minecraft wants to make it easier for users to access content created by community members and fans.
Many users already build intricate worlds to explore, adventure games to play, or even alter the game itself to offer completely new experiences within it.
They will be able sell content in the new Minecraft Marketplace.
"We want to enable entrepreneurs to set up businesses through our platform," producer John Thornton says to Newsbeat.
The people who make adventure maps skin packs for characters, or experiences to play in the game have not been allowed to sell directly to other players.
Only officially licensed Minecraft content could be sold this way however, that hasn''t stopped some people making a living from the game.
James Delaney is the founder of Blockworks, an organization of Minecraft creators. minecraft stuff He''s been able establish a business in spite of all of the restrictions.
He is delighted to welcome the Marketplace.
He said to Newsbeat that he hopes that it could be the start of a steady and consistent income.
"In the past we relied on commissions to come into our businesses, and you do not know when that time will come."
He is the responsible person for 62 creators working in 20 countries.
Their primary source of income is creating Minecraft-based content to support educational and marketing campaigns.
James "got really into" creating Minecraft maps with friends online and realised a few years later that there was a way to make a living.
"At the very least, we know there''s a market for our content right now," he says.
"If it''s successful, then we are confident we can continue to work on more regular and stable basis.
"Also this is content that we can decide to create instead of being asked to make it, so we have creative control over it."
The marketplace will go live later this year and will be available on the Windows 10 and Pocket versions of the game.
It means the majority of the estimated 120 million users of Minecraft worldwide will be able to access it however, those who play on consoles won''t.
"Our idea is to try and connect players and creators," says John Thornton.
"On Pocket edition it can be difficult to transfer content onto devices, which means it''s difficult for creators to showcase content they want to share with the world.
"By connecting creators to the marketplace it''ll make it much easier for users to discover something they want to play with, buy it and have it on their devices."
Players will have access to them for free, which means users can still create community experiences.
Producers hope that people will be willing to purchase content that is easy to find.
"If you wish to share content at the moment you need to place it somewhere on the internet and tell people where to find it," says John.
"You can make use of existing social media platforms to accomplish that, but it''s way more effective if we integrate it into the game in itself.
"Players can interact with things they love in the context of the game they play."
He hopes that the game will allow people like James to build successful businesses by playing the game.
The Minecraft team are launching the new service with nine creators from around the globe to begin.
The central Minecraft team will monitor the adventure maps, skin packs and other experiences to ensure that they are suitable for the audience of the game.
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