A Minecraft Movie is cleaning up at the global box office, sweeping in more than $313 million thus far. To celebrate its release, Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) cleverly collaborated with Warner Bros. and Minecraft developers Mojang Studios to launch New Zealand as Minecraft’s first fully playable destination.

“This innovative approach to destination marketing offers millions of Minecraft fans the unique opportunity to virtually explore a range of iconic New Zealand locations. Players can then bring their adventures to life by planning and booking their next holiday to Aotearoa,” said Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive René de Monchy in a statement. “The opportunity for New Zealand is huge. By tapping into Minecraft’s immense fan base, we expect this activity to drive growth for New Zealand’s economy by attracting $50 million in visitor spend this year.”

The activation, which was made possible through incentives via the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate and the New Zealand Film Commission, is expected to generate $50 million in earned media, according to TNZ. 

According to TNZ, 70 million Minecraft players would seriously consider visiting New Zealand and 85% of those are interested in experiencing the country through this Minecraft activation. The Aotearoa New Zealand DLC (downloadable content) is available for free on the Minecraft marketplace and features six iconic locations across Aotearoa (the Māori name for the country), New Zealand: Waitomo Caves, Te Puia | New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua, Kāpiti Island, Abel Tasman, Tekapō/Takapo and Patea/Doubtful Sound.

“The project creatively combines technology, gaming, culture, New Zealand’s otherworldly places, Māori culture and people to present New Zealand to the vast Minecraft universe in an innovative way. This is something you haven’t seen from Tourism New Zealand before,” de Monchy said.

The activation supports Tourism New Zealand’s four-year strategy by showcasing New Zealand as a year-round destination and highlights activities that can be enjoyed – or played – in any of New Zealand’s seasons.

Tourism New Zealand worked with Piki Studios, an official Minecraft Partner and award-winning Māori game design studio, to build the DLC. Chief Business Operator Whetu Paitai led the development, working with Tourism New Zealand, the wider tourism industry and mana whenua (local Māori) to create a fun and authentic experience.

“Working with Mojang on such an iconic game has been an incredible experience, filled with both excitement and responsibility. Developing the first ever Minecraft game for a destination, especially a place as close to my heart as New Zealand, feels immensely rewarding. However, it also comes with its own set of unique challenges,” said Paitai, also in a statement.

“One of these was ensuring that the rich Whāraki (interconnected tapestry of stories, traditions, and cultural heritage) of our land and people was accurately and respectfully represented. We have been able to work with Mojang in a way that is very collaborative and respectful. Māori game development is growing, but our whanau (people) have to see models of that happening in front of them and this is what projects like this achieve.”

To play, a Minecraft player enters the game onto a marae (communal sacred ground) and is welcomed by a mihi whakatau (greeting) into a central meeting house, known as a wharenui in Māori. The wharenui was designed, named and gifted for the New Zealand Minecraft game by the expert carvers and designers at the New Zealand Māori Art and Crafts Institute at Te Puia.

Each location in the DLC offers players unique activities such as paddling a waka in Abel Tasman or stargazing in Tekapo/Takapō. These activities can also be experienced in real life, providing a taste of what traveling around New Zealand would be like. The game includes activities that promote positive traveller behaviours, developed in collaboration with Tiaki – Care for New Zealand. The initiative helps players learn how to travel around New Zealand with care and respect.