Mobile Minecraft: Negotiated space and perceptions of play in Australian families

Abstract

This article argues that Minecraft played on mobile devices in Australian homes impacts the spaces and perceptions of play within those familial settings. Based on findings from the Games of Mobile Australian Research Council Project, we present examples of how mobile devices bring about particular scenarios of Minecraft play within the household and family dynamics. These scenarios include renegotiating household spaces through acts of mobile Minecraft play, the development of physical gesture rituals through mobile touchscreen interactions, and the complex negotiations involved in shared device usage between different family members. We make the case that through these familial scenarios, the space of Minecraft can become an extension of the family home. These findings offer new insights into mobile-device-based engagement with Minecraft and provide a solid base of information for academic researchers and social policymakers seeking to understand the Minecraft and mobile phenomena. As mobile technology grows in ubiquity, mobile Minecraft becomes increasingly embedded in acts of play. We propose that Minecraft on mobile devices reshapes Australian perceptions of play, creativity, and family dynamics.