“Y’all, Coalchella is about to be the craziest thing ever tomorrow.”

This tweet by former The Walking Dead star Chandler Riggs was the first mention I saw of the crazy event that took up most of my Sunday. “Stacked lineup, free admission, sick music,” his tweet continued. Wow, a music fest with free admission? This sounds pretty cool.

“And it’s literally in Minecraft so you don’t have an excuse to not be there.”

Wait, what?

Rocky start

I like EDM and love Minecraft, so I had to see what the hell Coalchella was going to be. The lineup featured a bunch of independent artists I had never heard of before, most of which come from a tight-knit Soundcloud community, as well as some more recognizable names. Chiptune band Anamanaguchi, known for its original music and the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game soundtrack, was set to close the show.

A few hours before the show was set to kick off, the official Coalchella Discord was abuzz with over 600 excited fans. But after a big push on Twitter by event host Max “SLEEPYCATT” Schramp to get the word out, a few thousand had flooded in. After all, it’s a free show with the only barrier to entry being owning one of the most popular games in the world. The hosts showed some surprise about how many people were showing up for the show launch, but the server still opened as planned 15 minutes before the first set was supposed to start.

It was immediately clear that the Coalchella server wasn’t set up to support 2,000 people trying to join it all at once. I struggled to join in for ten minutes, and the server crashed shortly after I connected. After a few rinse-and-repeats of this process, the organizers began limiting the number of people who could join at a time so the server wouldn’t completely blow up. Eventually, it was stable enough to reliably walk around the festival and take in the sights.

ou can watch the above video here on YouTube as well.

The Coalchella server was a community project built over the last month, and the results were breathtaking. A meticulously designed central hub guided attendees between the two stages, REDBLOCKS and BEDROCKS. Giant community creations like a colorful Ferris wheel, to-scale IKEA blimp, giant vodka bottle, and IHOB restaurant flanked the skyline from every angle.

Because of the issues with the Coalchella server and website, the music was all delayed by an hour, but eventually the festival got started with everyone loading up the Mixlr page streaming the sets live while positioning themselves at the right stage, where the current DJ would stand at the turntables in their blocky avatar form. The server was still laggy enough that other attendees appeared to be standing still until the server updated their location, but when everything was working correctly, the experience totally clicked.

In those moments, where everyone was crowded at the front of the stage jumping to the music and expressing their love for the song in chat, I felt the exhilaration of a real concert. I might not have been high, but the frequent rubberbanding and sporadic bouncing around of cartoon block people while heavy bass throbbed in my ears was pretty trippy.

Each stage simulated lighting effects with shifting backdrops and fireworks that lit up the sky when a song reached its drop. DJs would troll the crowd by periodically opening a pit that would plummet attendees to their death, myself included. The mixes for each song were all made specifically for the event, which lead to some fun moments of DJs asking the crowd mid-song to crouch all at once or type a message in chat.

A few hours into the show, the organizers restarted the server once more to relaunch it on a more sophisticated setup. Under this new system, Coalchella was running on 30 mirrored servers at once that each had a player capacity of a few hundred. This alleviated what was left of the connection issues, but it wasn’t a perfect solution. Splitting the crowds up meant that your server might be empty in places compared to others or the current DJ might be on a different server.

The loss of big crowds for a while kind of broke the experience for me, but I was eventually able to join one of the more populated mirrors and get back to that packed-but-imperfect experience from earlier in the day. And it was just in time for my most anticipated performance, Anamanaguchi. The set was great as expected, but the true highlight was watching the show in the (virtual) presence of the DJs on the stage. It really added that special sense of place you get at a concert knowing you’re 20 feet from the creator of stuff you love.

By the end of the night, Coalchella had seen over 2,600 attendees in the server and over 27,000 people listen in on Mixlr. The entire festival was never devoid of some sort of technical issue, but there were some real moments of magic where it felt like a real concert. It was no longer just me playing Minecraft with a music stream in the background, but a crowd of people experiencing the same cool thing together.

Schramp and his collaborators already have plans for future Minecraft events that will hopefully avoid the pitfalls of Coalchella. All of the sets featured at the festival were later uploaded in full on Soundcloud, so give a listen if you’re interested.

arlier this week, Sony opened the gates of cross-platform play with other consoles, starting with Fortnite. One of the biggest titles that would benefit from crossplay is Minecraft, and it seems like Microsoft is definitely open to the idea.

Windows Central reports that Microsoft would love to bring players on PlayStation 4 into their Minecraft ecosystem. The company is also open to working with their partners to bring more cross-platform play for other titles, mentioning Rocket League, another popular game available on all consoles but lacking crossplay.

We believe in giving gamers the opportunity to play the games they want with the people they want. Whether that means working with our partners to deliver cross-network play with games like ‘Rocket League’ and ‘Fortnite’ or enabling cross-device play with the likes of Minecraft, we are supportive of new scenarios that enable more people to play and have fun together while gaming. We would love to bring players on PlayStation 4 into our Minecraft ecosystem as well but have nothing further to share at this time.

Bringing PlayStation 4 users into the Minecraft ecosystem would be huge, but there are some additional hurdles that have to be solved. Sony stated that they will allow crossplay with select third-party titles, so there’s a chance that talks have already started regarding the Microsoft game and other popular titles available across different consoles.

Over the course of this week, the magnitude of Fortnite’s success has become more clear as YouTube shared the game’s record numbers. Epic’s game now holds the global record for the most videos uploaded in a single month (February 2018), the second spot when it comes to watchtime related to a videogame (again, as of February), and set the record for the single biggest gaming stream with Spanish YouTuber ElRubiusOMG reaching over 1.1 million concurrent viewers. Furthermore, last weekend over a hundred creators joined a massive Battle Royale battle and all broadcast their play, resulting in over 42 million views combined.

Over the course of this week, the magnitude of Fortnite’s success has become more clear as YouTube shared the game’s record numbers. Epic’s game now holds the global record for the most videos uploaded in a single month (February 2018), the second spot when it comes to watchtime related to a videogame (again, as of February), and set the record for the single biggest gaming stream with Spanish YouTuber ElRubiusOMG reaching over 1.1 million concurrent viewers. Furthermore, last weekend over a hundred creators joined a massive Battle Royale battle and all broadcast their play, resulting in over 42 million views combined.

Minecraft has been the dominant game on YouTube for a long time, but its views have been declining steadily since August 2017.

In the graph above, you can see how Fortnite soared over its Battle Royale competitors Clash Royale and PUBG in November last year when it reached 1 billion cumulative views on YouTube. In fact, the average month-to-month growth rate in the past six months has been measured at a mindblowing +97% (+151% from January to February 2018). Meanwhile, Clash Royale and PUBG are largely stagnant at this point.

Of course, none of this would matter much if somehow viewership didn’t translate into paying customers. But that’s not really the case here.

According to SuperData’s newly posted February 2018 digital games report, Fortnite Battle Royale ranked third on consoles and sixth on PC. It was the main driver behind the massive 359% Year-over-Year growth of the Free-to-Play console segment, it earned more “additional content revenue” than any other game except Call of Duty WWII and now boasts a higher MAU (Monthly Active Users) than Grand Theft Auto V. Furthermore, Fortnite doesn’t appear yet in the mobile charts but it’s a fair bet that it will do so soon after the game raked in over $1 million of in-app purchases three days after the launch of its iOS invite-only event.

This is perhaps the biggest comeback of all time in gaming when you consider that many thought Fortnite could be scrapped altogether up to a year ago or so, after a lengthy and silent development time. When it launched with the Save the World mode it didn’t make too much of a splash, either, but Epic’s ability to quickly follow up on PUBG’s success with a Battle Royale mode and to constantly update the game to provide more content and optimization were key factors in this spectacular rebirth.

It’s impossible to say whether Fortnite can keep up this unprecedented level of success, and for how long. Not even Epic could do that, particularly with big publishers like Activision rumored to be preparing their own triple-A takes on the Battle Royale genre. However, one thing is for sure: Epic has secured its future for a long time with this hit.

With Fallout: New California, New York, Miami, and the incredible Fallout 4: New Vegas projects coming down the pipeline, it’s easy to see why there is so much excitement regarding these incredibly impressive feats. These ambitious fan projects continue to make headway to completion and into the hands of gamers.

With Fallout: New California, it’s ready to rock and will be rolling out this October! But just because we have a release date doesn’t mean there isn’t still work to be done and in this instance, it’s a few “minor game breaks” that the team addressed in their latest developer update.

“We did uncover a couple minor game breaks that just required switching the integer on a result from 3 to 5 and two issues where the objective was unclear at the very last battle,” began their most recent update.

“Normally the objective of a battle is to just shoot the bad guy til they die. This time the bad guys (plural, possibly 4 bad guys if you’re really crazy and/or bad at lying) heal themselves faster than you can kill them. Your goal is to knock them off a spiral staircase under the jets of an awaiting nuclear missile.”

They added, “Because this is the final end of the mod only a few people have tested this, and it turns out I didn’t communicate that objective very well. New Vegas’s engine has a hard time dealing with routine game mechanics like, say, GRAVITY, so we worked out some bugs around these npcs teleporting around the map if they get up while falling and so on.

You can use a gun that pushes them like a street sweeper and deals absurd damage, or you can use a knockdown based weapon, or kill them and drag their bodies (using Z key) before they heal and wake up.”

The plan for the next week is to create a workaround for these recently revealed issues, which is perfect as they are still looking for a few more female voice actresses before the final project launches.

To read the entire tale of development, you can see the full post right here! As for the mod itself, it goes live this October 23 before it’s locked in for good in December!

You can contact the author of this story on Twitter @DirtyEffinHippy.

Mojang’s annual Minecraft event called Minecon Earth 2018 is going on now with multiple ways for viewers to watch the stream.

An event for all things Minecraft, Minecon Earth is an event streamed globally that brings new information about the blocky builder game and features discussions and presentations from Mojang and the community. Previously announced to start today on September 29th, the Minecon Earth events are currently underway with announcements and community events already ongoing.

“Filmed live and beamed across the world via the internet!” the description of the event said. “It will be around 90 minutes long, packed with juicy Minecraft info, and will include pre and post show bits, as well as some community panels.”

No matter what device viewers are on b e it a phone, tablet, PC, or console, the Minecon Earth proceedings can be watched through multiple platforms. The easiest would undoubtedly be going straight to Minecraft’s site where it already has a Mixer stream set up to cover the event, but the streams can also be found elsewhere. The YouTube stream above is one example of where it can be watched, other options like Twitch and Facebook also shared on Minecraft’s site.

Big announcements are shared during Minecon Earth, so it’s worth paying attention to if you’re interested in Mojang’s game. Update Aquatic, the collection of underwater content that was just recently made available across all platforms, was discussed at length in last year’s Minecon Earth event, so it’s clear that Mojang saves big announcements for this time. It’s already shared one of those today with the reveal of Minecraft: Dungeons, a spinoff game that puts players deep in dungeons with up to four different players taking on enemies and bosses while searching for loot.

“It’s an all-new action-adventure game inspired by classic dungeon crawlers, where you’ll constantly discover new weapons and items that will help you defeat a ruthless swarm of new-and-nasty mobs,” Mojang’s Tom Stone said about the new Minecraft spinoff game. “You’ll fight or flee through canyons, swamps and – of course – mines.”

Minecraft’s Minecon Earth 2018 event is currently live and will continue to air until it reaches the end of its schedule shared by Mojang.

Mojang announced a new Minecraft spin-off game called Minecraft: Dungeons that sends players crawling through dungeons in either a single-player or co-op experience.

Announced in the midst of Mojang and Microsoft’s Minecon Earth events, the game was revealed to be a project that’s being worked on by a team in Stockholm, Sweden, a team that has a “love of classic dungeon crawler games. Mojang offered some more information on the new spinoff game as well as the trailer above to detail what it involves.

“It’s an all-new action-adventure game inspired by classic dungeon crawlers, where you’ll constantly discover new weapons and items that will help you defeat a ruthless swarm of new-and-nasty mobs,” Mojang’s Tom Stone said in a Minecraft announcement post. “You’ll fight or flee through canyons, swamps and – of course – mines!”

Stone went on to explain that the game can be played solo or with three extra friends to bring the total up to four players in search of loot and what sounds like a climactic fight.

“You can brave the dungeons alone, or team up with friends. Up to four players can battle together through action-packed, treasure-stuffed, wildly varied levels, all in an epic quest to save the villagers and take down the evil Arch-Illager!”

The trailer shows that the four players can be outfitted with different weapons and armor to serve different purposes, an interesting shift from Minecraft’s tiered armor and weapon system where the rarer material is generally the best you can shoot for. Hammers, swords, magic, and other weapon combinations were spotted in the trailer to show some of the options players will have. With the trailer didn’t explicitly say so, it almost seems as though the players in the trailer are taking on more traditional dungeon-crawling roles like tank, mage, DPS, and possibly a supportive class, but it could be that Mojang simply outfitted the characters that way to show off gear diversity.

Additional details weren’t shared in the announcement post on Minecraft’s site, but it did say that Minecraft: Dungeons would be out sometime in 2019 for the PC with more updates coming soon.

Target is about to pack even more Minecraft-related products into its stores. The retailer and The Minecraft Team announced today that they are collaborating on merchandise and fan parties. More than 75 new Minecraft items are coming exclusively to the big-box chain.

Microsoft’s block-building game is nearly 10 years old. Over the last decade, it has attracted an audience from across a diverse spectrum. Target has locations in cities, colleges, and suburbs to reach those consumers. The companies plan to have products for every taste as well. You can get apparel like shirts and PJs. Fans will find a new Minecraft Lego set among other toys. You can even get Minecraft-branded furniture and bedding.

Minecraft party mode
Minecraft and Target parties feature a scavenger hunt and details about Grid Runners.

Minecraft parties are coming to Target on September 22. These events will feature beloved community creators from YouTube and Twitch. The event will also have an accompanying livestream. Viewers will learn details about upcoming Minecraft mode Grid Runners.

Attendees will get a chance to participate in a scavenger hunt and giveaways. And the store is sure to have all of the new merch on prominent display in case you brought your wallet.

Target says most of its stores are participating in the event. But do you want to double check if yours is? Enter your zip code here to find your nearest Target.

All of this excitement is leading into Minecon Earth. That fan event aims to bring Minecraft fans together around the world. The global gathering is happening September 29 at a Microsoft store near you. It will also stream online and feature a 90-minute Minecraft keynote with new details about changes and improvements coming to the game.

Target is also getting in on the Minecon Earth action. You can find Minecon Earth-themed products at the retailer beginning this month. So even if you don’t have a Microsoft sore, you can still get a T-shirt or collectible.

What senior execs need to know about how AI is transforming every aspect of business. Grab your ticket to Silicon Valley’s most exclusive AI event. “Reserve now!”
The Minecraft Marketplace kept some of its momentum from launching on Switch and its first Summer Sale. The unified version of Minecraft served up 373,361 downloads across Windows 10, mobile, Xbox, and Switch. While that’s nowhere near the 669,795 downloads from July, it’s still a big number for a month without a massive sale.

August was a relatively quiet month for Minecraft. The block-building phenomenon’s Summer Sale happened in July. Also, the Switch version launched in June. That introduced the Marketplace to an entirely new audience. As a result of the dearth of major events like those, you would expect a big decline. But downloads were only just below June’s 396,511.

But Minecraft has a lot going on right now. Target partnered with Microsoft and The Minecraft Team to bring a huge slate of new products to the retailer earlier this month. And this weekend, the global fan festival Minecon Earth is taking place. This is where the game’s biggest fanatics get together at Microsoft Stores around the world to celebrate the game. It’s also where Microsoft will have big new announcements.

That should keep interest high, and that could translate into Minecraft Marketplace sales.

Let’s get to the charts.

Top 10 most downloaded
10. Fright Night 13 10. Fright Night 13
Here’s the list:

City Life
Millionaire Mansions
Mineville Highschool
Zombie Apocalypse
Prison Escape
Mineville University Roleplay
Dinosaur Park
Castles & Dragons
Construction City
Fright Night 13
Top 10 highest grossing
10. Mutant Battle Arena 10. Mutant Battle Arena
Here’s the list:

City Life
Millionaire Mansions
Zombie Apocalypse
Prison Escape
Dinosaur Park
Castles & Dragons
Mineville Highschool
Construction City
City Builder Mash-up
Mutant Battle Arena
That’s the Marketplace report for the month. Check back in October for more!

Minecraft wasn’t always the enormous franchise that it has become. It has slowly been building popularity since it’s creator, Markus Persson, released the game in 2009. So, what is it about this independently created game that made it endure over time?

Check out video here: https://www.businessinsider.com/minecraft-facts-fans-video-games-2015-7

It turns out that “Ultra Street Fighter II,” a souped-up version of the 1991 classic for the new Nintendo Switch console, is a certifiable smash hit.
So far, game developer Capcom says “Ultra Street Fighter II” has sold 450,000 copies, reports IGN— despite lukewarm reviews, and the ongoing shortage of the Switch console itself. Now, Capcom says it’s planning to release a flurry of new Switch games to meet this apparent demand.

From my perspective as a Nintendo Switch owner, the reason for the runaway success of this game is simple: Every video game ever made is better, or would be better, on the Nintendo Switch. All of them. Full stop.

Let me explain.

What Nintendo does for me

I own a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox One, and a whole heap of games to play on them. Still, I don’t get a lot of time to play games on the TV, and when I do, it’s usually for a matter of minutes, not hours. Lately, I’ve played many more games on my iPhone or Nintendo 3DS than my fancy-pants TV consoles.

It means that critically acclaimed games like “The Witcher 3” and even the older “Skyrim” have all passed me by. They’re probably both great, but I just haven’t been able to commit the 40-plus hours in front of my TV that those games would demand from me for full enjoyment.

Back to Nintendo. In case you haven’t heard, the Nintendo Switch has a simple, killer gimmick: It’s a TV console, like an Xbox or PlayStation, but when you’re on the go, you can pick it up right off its dock and keep on playing. It even lets you split one controller into two, for impromptu two-player action.

Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch can be plugged into a TV, or played on-the-go. Either way, it’s great. Ben Gilbert/Business Insider
This has been a huge boon for me, personally. The Switch is a TV console, and a thing I can take with me. All of a sudden, I don’t have to choose between playing a console game or something portable. Console games fit into my life, once again. And I suspect that I’m not alone in feeling this way.

So, yeah, of course “Ultra Street Fighter II” sold like crazy, despite being a mediocre version of a decades-old classic. And when “Skyrim,” which first released in 2011, comes out for the Switch later this year, it’ll probably sell like crazy, too. The Switch itself makes any game more accessible, and more playable, by virtue of sheer flexibility. (Plus, this early in a console’s life cycle, people are thirsty for any half-decent game, which also helps.)

Ultimately, I would urge every game developer out there to consider a Nintendo Switch version of any games they’re working on, or even that they’ve already made. Superhero fighting game “Injustice 2,” for example, would be killer on the Switch.

And, look, I get that the Nintendo Switch isn’t as powerful under the hood as the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, graphically. Speaking personally, though, I would rather play a version of a great game at a lower resolution, or with slightly diminished special effects, than I would not play it at all.