Strange as it may sound, giving remote access to some of Aotearoa’s most famous attractions anywhere in the world will help attract people from all over the world to Aotearoa.
Rotorua’s Te Puia – a place steeped in nature, history and culture – has taken a giant leap into the future by featuring in new Minecraft Aotearoa New Zealand DLC (downloadable content). Minecraft now immortalises Rotorua and other tourism hotspots as parts of an iconic and enchanting, playable world freely accessible worldwide.
After experiencing New Zealand through the game, players should be inspired to visit Rotorua and other popular sites, Rotorua NZ CEO, Andrew Wilson, expects.
“This is an incredible opportunity to showcase Rotorua’s unique geothermal landscape and rich Māori culture to a global audience. With millions of Minecraft players exploring Te Puia and the wonders of the Whakarewarewa Valley in the game, we anticipate this will spark curiosity and inspire real world travel to Rotorua.”
With more than 300 million copies sold, Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time and continues to grow after nearly 15 years since the game was first launched.
The collaboration between Minecraft, Warner Bros, and Tourism New Zealand is a ‘game-changer’, cementing Rotorua’s position as a ‘must visit’ destination, Wilson explains.
“Increased visitation has a direct economic benefit for our local businesses, accommodation providers, and tourism operators. By blending digital storytelling with real-world experiences, this collaboration has the potential to drive long-term tourism growth and economic impact for our region.”
In addition to Rotorua, other famed New Zealand locations include Waitomo Caves (Waikato), Kapiti Island (Wellington), Abel Tasman (Nelson/Tasman), Tekapo (Mackenzie) and Doubtful Sound (Fiordland).
Through the new content players can take a photo of Pōhutu Geyser erupting, explore Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley and discover New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute (NZMACI) carvings all set within a geo-mapped Te Puia.
“It grows general awareness of our beautiful country and destination, which we hope will translate into manuhiri visiting,” Sean Marsh from Te Puia is expecting. “Most importantly, the DLC may be the place that a potential tauira (student) becomes aware of what the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute does and why.”
Created to mark the release of A Minecraft Movie, the new content is intended to be as realistic as possible.
“The contours of the natural environment are as true to life as you could imagine – Te Puia is the only place that is fully geo-mapped, so it is a highly accurate representation,” says Marsh. “We hope players feel inspired to connect with something that is rare, beautiful, powerful, and real.”
Cast as filmmakers, players are tasked with completing a variety of challenges culminating in a 30 second movie of each player’s exploration and achievements. Players are welcomed with a karanga by NZ Māori Tourism’s Dame Pania Tyson-Nathan before setting out on their quest. They then meet various characters including kaumātua (elders), who provide guidance and cultural context along the way.
Thankfully, the game isn’t so good that people need not be inspired to travel to Rotorua as there’s nothing quite as good as the real thing, Marsh adds.
“What they can’t get from the DLC is the goosebumps or heightened senses just before Pōhutu Geyser erupts, when you feel the deep guttural vibration that moment before your eyes track the steam and water erupting into the sky, that’s where we invite players to come play for real in New Zealand.”
This is not a case of admiration from afar – talented locals played their part, called in to ensure the game would capture much of the cultural and natural significance.
NZ Māori Arts and Crafts Institute’s GM Eraia Kiel and artist, Tipene Oneroa, worked closely with Hamilton-based Piki Studios who brought the content to life.
“This was a first for me and I loved the process. I’ve always wanted to expand my art into digital design so this was the perfect opportunity,” Oneroa says. “As a Minecraft player myself and knowing how popular it is with our rangatahi, I was very excited to play a part in creating a representation of our culture in that world. I hope that players are sparked with curiosity to know more.”
The Minecraft content ties in with an official 100% Pure Minecraft Itinerary. Prospective manuhiri (visitors) can craft a real-life adventure as a bookable trip to New Zealand.
Other areas of Aotearoa also feature in the game.
In partnership with A Minecraft Movie, the official 100% Pure Minecraft Itinerary transcends the virtual quest, allowing prospective manuhiri (visitors) to craft their real-life adventure as a bookable trip to Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Inspiring Minecraft players to play for real in New Zealand is the aim of the game, René de Monchy from Tourism New Zealand adds.
“This was a wonderful opportunity for Tourism New Zealand to reach a massive audience and to be able to incorporate our unique Māori culture into this environment was a natural way for us to showcase Aotearoa New Zealand in Minecraft.”
