Honoring the Contributions of Black Video Game Enthusiasts Globally

In our quest to develop the finest gaming experiences, Minecraft is deeply committed to shaping a world enhanced by the transformative nature of play. Our mission is aligned with those who share a resolve to tackle disparities and injustices to forge a path to a better future. The observance of Black History Month is a key initiative we embrace with pride each orbit.

Each year, when February arrives, we reflect upon the profound significance of Black History Month as a vital period for promoting understanding, recognizing trials faced, and applauding the accomplishments of Black individuals worldwide. Below are some partnerships and endeavors we've proudly engaged in over recent years.

LEVELING THE PLAYFIELD

In 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement witnessed a surge, becoming one of the most significant social movements within the United States, garnering support from countless individuals and organizations. Mojang Studios, in a gesture of unity, contributed $2 million in 2020 to organizations including the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Equal Justice Initiative, and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. However, our commitment to condemn racism, subjugation, and long-standing suffering doesn't end there.

Fast forward to 2024, we collaborated with BVIG (Black Voices in Gaming), an organization striving to instigate structural changes within the video game industry by challenging ingrained discriminatory obstacles and elevating the voices of Black developers.

Together, we orchestrated a Discord stage show alongside several seminars that highlighted Black developers and industry stalwarts with the objective of enlightening both our audience and the Mojang Studios team on the significance of a diverse and inclusive gaming world. Moreover, we offered our community opportunities to recognize and uplift Black creatives like BlackMinecraft's JaneLaney, Black Voices in Gaming's Justin Woodward, and game designer Joe Hooker through a feature series on our social platforms.

EDUCATION THROUGH ENGAGEMENT

The Good Trouble series continues to be our ongoing endeavor, presenting a collection of in-game worlds with corresponding educational materials that delve into social justice through experiential learning. In 2023, Minecraft Education collaborated with educators Natasha Rachell and Felisa Ford from the Atlanta Public Schools to design two innovative lessons and a compelling building challenge centered on Juneteenth and the quest for racial equality. Through these lessons, learners journey with civil rights leader and US Congressman John Lewis, exploring various historical social justice movements, encompassing the Victorian Suffragettes through to the contemporary Black Lives Matter. Committed to widespread accessibility, we've made the educational world freely available in the Education Collection within the Minecraft Marketplace, already attracting over 2.5 million participants.

CELEBRATING VARIETY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND GAME

Minecraft's community is celebrated for its diversity, and we endeavor to mirror this within our game. To further encompass our players’ diversity and enable them to see reflections of themselves in Minecraft, we broadened our array of standard avatars in 2022.

Our talented Minecraft Marketplace creators play a crucial part in enriching the Minecraft experience with diversity, offering players avenues to explore the history and cultures of Black people from different regions around the globe.

Making a breakthrough, Kunta Content from Kenya became the inaugural studio from Africa to enter the Minecraft Marketplace with their striking assortment in 'Bankush: An African Experience'. Their distinguished pack honors the vast cultural heritage and diversity of Africa with a set of skins representing various African tribal people through the eras. The studio's growth was significantly supported by the Africa Game Dev Program, designed to nurture emerging talent across the continent.

Within Minecraft, each voice carries weight, and through sharing our stories, we continue to grow and learn. While these represent some of our endeavors during the past Black History Month, we acknowledge that consistent, daily efforts lead to enduring transformation—both within the gaming sphere and the games themselves. It is through these continuous efforts that we stand strong for and engender affirmative changes for the Black community. We hope you, too, will engage in forging this transformative journey through your individual acts, regardless of scale.