The psychology behind why children are hooked on Minecraft

Summary

The psychology behind why children are hooked on MinecraftAlamyMinecraft is the world's best-selling computer game and soon to be a Hollywood film. This is why children can't get enough of it.AJ Minotti has three children – and they all love playing Minecraft. His twin girls aged 10 and his six-year-old son are constantly building stuff with the endless supply of virtual blocks that fill the game. And Minotti, who works in marketing in Ohio, sometimes gets blown away with what they come up with."Dad, I want to show you something," one of his daughters said to him recently as she held out the screen of her Nintendo Switch. Her avatar stood before a waterfall. After pressing an in-game button, the waterfall stopped, revealing the entrance to a cave. Inside was a subterranean super-lair complete with interactive lighting and display areas for items that she had collected in the game."It was like this whole underground mansion, basically," says Minotti, marvelling. "I was super impressed by it." His daughter had followed some YouTube tutorials but also came up with much of the design herself. "It takes me back to the feelings I had when I was a kid just hacking away on a computer," says Minotti.Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of all time. First released in 2009, it had sold more than 300 million copies by 2023. It, and similar games including Roblox and Terraria, are enjoyed by gamers of all ages, from young children to adults.Minecraft's popularity is such that it has now spawned a highly anticipated Hollywood film called A Minecraft Movie, starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, which is due to be released in April 2025.There could be deep psychological – even evolutionary – factors behind the success of Minecraft and games like it, say experts. Such games tap into an innate instinct within all of us – one that underpins the success of our entire species. The desire to build.Warner BrosMinecraft has now been turned into a hotly anticipated, star-studded ...