- Minecraft’s player base rose by 30% following the film’s release.
- The free DLC before the film’s release helped in the surge.
- Minecraft sales were also boosted on Nintendo Switch.
After a few failures with their live-action projects, Xbox had to return to the drawing board before re-entering Hollywood. With many doubting the gaming giant’s decision to choose Minecraft for the next film adaptation, the film’s results have proven them wrong thus far.
A Minecraft Movie has already become one of the top 5 grossing film adaptations just a week into its launch. Moreover, the film’s success did wonders for the video game, boosting the overall player base for Minecraft by more than 30%.
Why it matters: Minecraft already boasts 170 million monthly players, making it one of the most played video games ever. With the film’s success, the player count has only increased, showcasing its impressive reach.
A new report by The Game Business revealed that Minecraft had an impressive last couple of weeks. Developer Mojang released a free film-themed DLC for the game a week before the movie’s release to generate more excitement for the franchise.
This strategy resulted in a 25% increase in daily average players on the Saturday before the movie’s release and a 14% increase on the following Sunday. Both of these figures are week-on-week comparisons.
After the film’s release on Saturday, April 5, the player count rose by 9%, with another 14% increase on Sunday, April 6. Again, these percentages are week-on-week comparisons.
While the post-release numbers may seem modest, it’s important to note that Minecraft had already seen a surge in player activity thanks to the free DLC launched in the week leading up to the film.
As for sales, Minecraft experienced a 25% boost in sales on the weekend before the movie release, thanks to the DLC launch. Sales continued to rise by 8% on the weekend following the release of A Minecraft Movie.
With such a resounding success, Xbox plans to double down on its Hollywood strategy and has already teased similar projects for the future.
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[News Reporter]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
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