Gaming giant Minecraft signs pact with UK firm for theme parks, hotels and retail stores

The global gaming phenomenon Minecraft is making its real-world debut through a major partnership to launch themed attractions, rides, hotel rooms, and retail outlets, starting in the UK and US.

According to The Guardian report, Minecraft has partnered with Merlin Entertainments, the UK-based company behind major theme parks like Alton Towers, Legoland, and Madame Tussauds.

Merlin, Europe’s largest theme park operator and the second biggest worldwide after Disney, operates over 135 attractions in 23 countries.

As part of the agreement, Merlin will invest over £85 million ($110 million) in the first two attractions, set to open in the UK and the US in 2026 and 2027. These could be located in existing theme parks or as new attractions in city centers, added the report.

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The long-term goal of the partnership, dubbed “Adventures Made Real,” is to expand Minecraft-themed attractions to more countries and regions.

Minecraft is the bestselling video game of all time, with 140 million monthly players worldwide, spanning regions from Antarctica to Vatican City, and over 1.3 trillion user-generated videos on YouTube.

“We are everywhere digitally, Merlin is everywhere physically,” The Guardian quoted Kayleen Walters, the vice-president, franchise development, for gaming at Microsoft, which acquired the Minecraft maker Mojang for $2.5bn in 2014, as saying.

“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,” added Walters.

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Minecraft is on a brand expansion roll, with a much-anticipated film starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black set for release next April, along with an animated series announced by Netflix earlier this year.

For Merlin, this partnership with Minecraft could rival its 2005 deal with Lego, which led to the acquisition of Legoland theme parks, reported The Guardian.

Merlin has increasingly focused on securing deals with major intellectual properties to boost its attractions, much like Hollywood studios leverage blockbuster franchises.

In 2022, it partnered with Sony Pictures to bring Jumanji rides to its parks, starting with Chessington in the UK. This year, Merlin also expanded its Peppa Pig partnership, adding new attractions in Duplo-themed areas at several parks.

“When we look for partners we look for the right people, scale and community,” The Guardian quoted Scott O’Neil, the chief executive of Merlin Entertainments, as saying.

“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 video game. Bringing Minecraft to life is going to be one of the greatest joys; this is just the beginning; our aspirations are very big,” added O’Neil.

Minecraft became the first game to surpass 300 million sales, outpacing Grand Theft Auto V (205m) and Wii Sports (83m). While Tetris and Super Mario franchises have sold more, Minecraft, launched in 2011, is the only single game to reach this milestone.

In 2020, Minecraft made its educational worlds free to help students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, offering digital lessons on topics like renewable energy and ancient Greece. It was also distributed for free in Northern Ireland schools in 2015.

In 2019, a consortium led by the Lego family’s Kirkbi, along with Blackstone and CPPIB, acquired Merlin Entertainments for £6 billion.

With inputs from agencies