The fourth annual convention and exhibition for Minecraft fans, MineCon, set a record for the world’s largest convention for a single videogame, after 10,000 fans visited ExCeL London last week. After the cancellation of MineCon 2014, so that organiser Mojang could give the event “the attention it needs”, fans were wowed with an immersive and involved experience in 2015.
The two-day event, held on 4-5 July, represented the surge in popularity that Minecraft has gained over the past five years. Just 200 people attended the first MineCon convention in Las Vegas in 2011, while a less formal gathering was held for about 50 fans in 2010. "For multi-genre games convention to attract 10,000 fans is a big enough feat in itself. But for a convention dedicated to a single videogame to get that number is nothing short of astonishing,” commented Stephen Daultrey, editor of Guinness World Records gamers’ edition. “This record is testament to the incredible fandom around Minecraft and the game's ability to unlock the imaginations of millions of gamers around the world." This year’s fans raved over the success of the convention, with many taking to twitter to share their gratitude to Mojang and the other organisers of the event.
Thank you for an amazing weekend, my son had a fab time! #Minecon @LydiaWinters @vubui @9_lukej pic.twitter.com/GrnRpxaBD2
— Kathryn Jones (@Muzzak3) July 6, 2015
Bye bye #Minecon. Bye bye London. Hello France via Eurostar.
— Gabriel Harris-Rouquette (@gabizou) July 7, 2015
Fans are already taking to forums to speculate on the location of MineCon 2016.
