Imagine the scenario: You create a hit title, sell millions before the game even gets released fully and get the opportunity to host a convention for fans and community members of the virtual world. The opportunity is there to allow players to meet and mingle with the real life incarnations of the pixelated boxes that you have been playing and adventuring with. And then, something happens that detracts from the whole experience.

In the aftermath of Minecon Markus “Notch” Persson, creator of the smash hit Minecraft for those that have somehow missed the phenomenon, posted several tweets. They expressed his disappointment in the cast of Yogscast for events which, he stated, included swearing and inappropriate behaviour. Another issue that he pointed out was that the Yogscast crew demanded payment and were the only ones to do so.

Simon from Yogscast waited until they returned to the UK before posting a response. This essentially refuted the comments posted by Persson. Simon attributed the tweets to tiredness, but admitted that the team was “disappointed” to see tweets from someone that they admired and respected. He admitted that they did swear during the pre-show rehearsal and the show itself, but said that they were given no guidelines or feedback regarding their show. Finally, Simon posted that the team was not paid; they did ask for some support considering the trip that they were undertaking.

So that’s both sides of the story. But what does it boil down to? Is there a side to take or can blame be attributed? While conventions typically lose money, if a guest is invited from overseas and expected to do work over the course of the weekend, it is expected that they would be paid. Did Deadmau5 perform out of the goodness of his heart? Hmmm…It is also short sighted of the Mojang crew that they either didn’t inform Yogscast not to swear or didn’t expect them to. After all, Yogscast runs a successful YouTube serious with the occasional swear word thrown in for good measure. If booking an act, you must know what to expect.

The whole situation and the thinking behind various statements or situations will likely never be known. Yogscast had time to compose themselves and a message before it was aired, while Persson’s was a more immediate and emotive reaction. He has since apologised for a “stress related misunderstanding”. Both sides came out worse for wear from the ordeal. Fans of each side turned on the other resulting in tweets of anger and disappointment, a DDOS attack was launched on Yogscast’s forums and some Minecraft fans felt betrayed.

It’s an unfortunate situation. What should have been a widespread celebration of an indie phenomenon was overshadowed. And why? Tiredness, an overreaction and immediate access to a broadcast platform. There are lessons to be learned in relation to organising an event, performing at a panel and behaviour at a convention. However, the main lesson to be learned from this situation should be heeded by all. Take some time and think about things before you react, especially if you are going to air dirty laundry for the world to see.

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