Minecraft and Merlin Entertainments have signed a deal to create two theme parks dedicated to the game in the UK and US (thanks, The Guardian), at a cost of around £85 million ($110 million). Merlin Entertainments is the largest theme park operator in Europe, second only to Disney globally, and runs attractions including Legoland and Madame Tussauds.
The parks are due to open in 2026 and 2027, though the sites are yet to be confirmed, and the tagline is "Adventures made Real". Get ready for some excited executives:
"We are everywhere digitally, Merlin is everywhere physically," said Microsoft's Kayleen Walters. "It is about how do we expand Minecraft beyond the game. Mojang and Microsoft are experts on Minecraft and the brand, Merlin are the experts on location-based experiences; it is a shared vision."
Love a shared vision. Microsoft treated Minecraft with considerable care following its 2014 acquisition of Mojang Studios for $2.5 billion, but this is the latest of several major brand extensions, most notably the dodgy-looking Minecraft movie and an upcoming Netflix series.
"When we look for partners we look for the right people, scale and community," said Merlin chief executive Scott O’Neil. "We are in 23 countries: What brands can play at that level? You have to be one of the biggest brands in the world. We have partnered with the number one toy brand, Lego, the number one toddler brand, Peppa Pig, and now in Minecraft the biggest videogame. Bringing Minecraft to life is going to be one of the greatest joys; This is just the beginning; our aspirations are very big."
The parks will apparently contain "digitally enabled real-life experiences", as well as "touchpoints" where guests can unlock "exclusive in-game content." Alongside this we are promised "first-of-its-kind concepts" for Minecraft-themed accommodation and restaurants, so if you've ever wanted to sleep in a bed made of blocks then start saving.
The announcement comes with a bunch of concept images, which are a little freaky because they're populated by silhouette ghost people, and a short teaser video that shows off a (virtual) Minecraft rollercoaster, complete of course with a Minecart. Who knows what relation these images will have to the final parks, but they show various biomes from the game, characters like Steve, and kiddies petting various Minecraft animals (surely this is just like rubbing your hand on a table).
There's no denying that the deal makes commercial sense, with Minecraft easily one of the most bankable game properties ever, and Nintendo World having proven that the concept can work. In 2023 Microsoft announced that Minecraft has sold over 300 million copies since it launched in 2011, making it the best-selling game of all time (Grand Theft Auto V sits behind it on a mere 205 million), and it remains perennially popular with young children.
