Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley and Pōhutu Geyser at Te Puia in Rotorua have featured on a new interactive map ahead of the Minecraft Movie. Photo / Supplied
Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley and Pōhutu Geyser at Te Puia in Rotorua have featured on a new interactive map ahead of the Minecraft Movie. Photo / Supplied
New Zealand has been featured as the first country Minecraft players can explore on a free downloadable map – and Rotorua plays a big part.
It comes in the lead-up to the release of A Minecraft Movie next weekand was commissioned by Tourism NZ. It is now available via the game on the Minecraft Marketplace.
The live-action movie was filmed in New Zealand and stars Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Kiwi actress and director Rachel House.
Minecraft has been the best-selling video game in the world for over a decade. With over 300 million copies sold, Minecraft’s education edition was designed and released to consumers in 2016.
Local teachers reported benefits of including the game in classroom learning because it encouraged communication, creativity and problem-solving.
Tourism NZ unveiled the collaboration with Warner Bros and Mojang Studios, the creators of Minecraft, at the start of March.
The interactive experience includes Waitomo Caves, Te Puia Village in Rotorua, Kāpiti Island, Abel Tasman National Park, Lake Tekapō/Takapo and Patea/Doubtful Sound in Fiordland.
Millions of Minecraft players will soon get to virtually explore Aotearoa.
Sales and marketing manager for Te Puia, the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute , Sean Marsh, said the kaupapa or purpose of Te Puia in making the game was to protect and hand down mātauranga Māori associated with traditional Māori artforms on a digital platform.
He told the Rotorua Daily Post he was “excited” to include Rotorua on the virtual map.
“Firstly, it grows general awareness of our beautiful country and destination, which we hope will translate into manuhiri visiting Aotearoa and Te Puia.
“Most importantly, the DLC [downloadable content] may be the place that a potential tauira [student] becomes aware of what the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute does and why.”
It was important to feature Rotorua in the game as the birthplace of tourism in Aotearoa, New Zealand, Marsh said.
“Rotorua has an incredible legacy of storytellers who bring the natural and cultural worlds to life.”
The institute’s kairuruku or co-ordinator, Auaha Tipene Oneroa, focused on tikanga in the project and worked closely with Māori and Polynesian game developer Piki Studios to ensure tikanga Māori was correct for gamers.
Director Whetu Paitai lent his programming and design skills to help make the game “come alive”, Oneroa said.
The Te Puia geyser is one of New Zealand's pride attractions. Photo / Te Puia
Developing the first digital indigenous ‘server’
Based in Coromandel, Piki Studios has been an official Minecraft partner since 2021.
Whetu said Piki Studios began developing the first official indigenous Minecraft server in 2021 – once released, it would be titled Lore.
Game servers act as a go-between computer, allowing a number of people to play online – they are usually dedicated to a certain game.
Growing up in Australia, Oneroa said he was “disconnected from my Māori heritage”.
It was important for him to highlight “representations of our culture and bringing in a sense of identity”, he said.
“This is still a new frontier for Māori – how to innovate into these new spaces in a way that upholds tikanga.
“The biggest challenge was working through the limitations of what you can do in the Minecraft world.
“Our designs are really intricate, and you can’t fully translate all of that into pixel art, which is what Minecraft is comprised of, so we had to break it down into its base form and ask some tough questions to make sure the essence was there,” Oneroa said.
They were also guided by the national wood carving school tohunga, whakairo rākau, Clive Fugill (CNZM), and Te Rito o Rotowhio (National Weaving School) matanga (artists), “to make sure we were pushing boundaries but adhering to our traditions,” he said.
“As a Minecraft player myself and knowing how popular it is with our rangatahi, I was very excited to play a part in creating a representation of our culture in that world.”
RotoruaNZ chief executive Andrew Wilson said this collaboration between Minecraft, Warner Bros and Tourism New Zealand was a “game changer” in showcasing Rotorua to the world.
“With millions of Minecraft players exploring Te Puia and the wonders of the Whakarewarewa Valley in the game, we anticipate this will spark curiosity and inspire real-world travel to Rotorua.
“Increased visitation has a direct economic benefit for our local businesses, accommodation providers and tourism operators, reinforcing Rotorua’s position as a must-visit destination.
“By blending digital storytelling with real-world experiences, this collaboration has the potential to drive long-term tourism growth and economic impact for our region.”
Aleyna Martinez is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She moved to the region in 2024 and has previously reported in Wairarapa and at Pacific Media Network.
