This document outlines a strategy to expand the use of Minecraft in education by reaching 10,000 schools within two years. It identifies barriers like lack of funding and teacher knowledge. The plan aims to make Minecraft free, enable universal access across devices, and develop an ecosystem of Minecraft "apps" and official mod support. It also details incentivizing teachers to create curriculum aligned with Minecraft through challenges and recognition, with the goal of having Minecraft-integrated lessons for all core subjects by 2016. Potential risks include heavy investment requirements and conflicts with competitors like Google.

1. 1Michael Nguyen – mnguyen2016@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Minecraft Education Strategy 1
Michael Nguyen – mnguyen2016@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Minecraft Education Strategy
Reaching 10,000 Schools in Two Years, Stakeholder Perspectives
Schools in the United States:
• Lack the funds to purchase new software or hardware. 37 of 50 states have lowered per-student
funding since 2008 even though inflation since 2008 is 9%
• Need creative ways to add educational value without new cost, esp. for underserved women, minorities
Teachers
• "Most teachers will never take the extra effort to create Minecraft content around their lesson plans" -
Kian Alavi (Founder, Vision Academy, San Francisco)
• "All the kids play Minecraft, but none of the staff really know what it’s about or what to do about it” –
Jane Slabowski (Teacher, Indiana)
Students & Parents
• "My son is too old for Minecraft. He has moved on to other things that are like Minecraft, such as
Blockheads and Survivalcraft " – Jin (parent of 12 year old Thomas, Southern California)
• "I can't access the same things on the PC and Tablet versions of Minecraft. I like to play on the Tablet
when my mom does not use it, but I can't access mods.“ – Santi (8 year old, Illinois)

2. 2Michael Nguyen – mnguyen2016@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Minecraft Education Strategy 2
Michael Nguyen – mnguyen2016@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Minecraft Education Strategy
Action Plan: 2015-2017 (Economic Barriers, Ecosystem)
Remove Economic Barriers to Conversion for Schools and Users
1. Make Minecraft free, motivating expanded user base and new content, lock in marginal user looking at alternatives (2015)
2. Create universal access to Minecraft with one (Microsoft) account across all Minecraft platforms (Console, PC, Pocket);
each platform has the same features and content, reducing complexity for users and taking advantage of existing student
and school access to hardware; students access their progress and work on any platform, anywhere (2015)
3. Mobilize Microsoft’s DeLorean Cloud Gaming System to reduce hardware requirements for Minecraft and its mods; partner
to release standalone $30 USB pluggable Minecraft devices that depend on cloud for game rendering (2016)
Create an Ecosystem of Minecraft “Apps” = Official Minecraft Platform
1. Bring Mods officially onto the Minecraft Platform. Games (Minecraft) have limited life cycles as players get older and other
games are released. Platforms (Windows, iTunes, Half Life 2 Engine) last indefinitely (2016) with content for all segments.
2. Create monetization options for developers, market incentives for Mods. Microsoft takes fees on transactions (2016)
3. Ensure safety and simplicity for parents, teachers. Plug and play mod compatibility, no viruses, no adult content (2016)
4. Bring Minecraft competitors into the Ecosystem. Offer promotion and official brand association. Competitors become
Minecraft assets, not competitors. Just as Lego competitors want to be Lego-compatible, so do Minecraft’s. (2016)
5. Launch Minecraft API and official mod support. Incentivize mod developers through recognition and incentives (2016)

3. 3Michael Nguyen – mnguyen2016@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Minecraft Education Strategy 3
Michael Nguyen – mnguyen2016@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Minecraft Education Strategy
Action Plan: 2015-2017 (Curriculum Content, Risks)
Educate, Incentivize, and Convert
1. Find existing Minecraft teachers in districts (and convert those districts first) that use the most popular core curriculums
(Common Core, Singapore Math). Help (incentivize) teachers create curriculum content, distributing via the Platform.
Reach out to communities (Minecraft.edu, TeachersPayTeachers) for tools that reduce tech-knowledge requirement (2015)
2. Sponsor bootcamp sessions (2 day weekend) to introduce Minecraft to school faculty, starting at those with existing
supporters. Encourage students to participate and show teachers why Minecraft is important through their passion (2015)
3. Create weekly challenges to incentivize rapid curriculum content creation from both students and teachers. Target one
Minecraft lesson for each week of Common Core content by end of 2016 – when reached, expand to all districts using that
curriculum. Create expectation that a Minecraft-integration exists for each class lesson, removing added preparation effort.
Recognize top students and faculty through scholarships and recognition. Apply lessons and content internationally (2016)
4. Schools purchase educational content through Platform. Teachers / students who create popular content receive credits
for future purchases. Internationals and non-teachers also produce curriculum content to sell, community-vetted (2016)
Risks
Heavy investment to deploy economic platform, bootcamps, and content incentives; revenue gains occur over long term;
dependence on existing support in schools to tip mass support; expected conflicts with Google (Chrome) in schools;
Revenue Projections: difficult to quantify investment amounts; for revenue in 2017,
estimate 10,000 schools * 500 students * $15 platform content purchases = $75M.
Revenue does not include non-educational ecosystem activity.