Seattle Children’s, Mojang Studios and Hive Games Partner to Craft Unique Minecraft World for Kids in the Hospital
8.1.2024 | Ashley Speller
Seattle Children's Patients explore a private, secure and hospital-supported Minecraft server/Photo: Gamers Outreach
In an immersive therapeutic gaming experience only possible at Seattle Children’s, patients now have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore the hospital through the virtual world of Minecraft.
Seattle Children’s, the first pediatric hospital to have their hospital recreated in Minecraft, introduced the Seattle Children’s Minecraft Server to its patients in 2024 enabling them to connect and play together in a safe and monitored environment, even if they can’t leave their room.
The project was a years-long collaboration between Seattle Children’s, Mojang Studios and Hive Games to create the world’s first private, secure and hospital-supported Minecraft multi-player server for pediatric patients.
The Seattle Children’s building was originally designed and built block by block in Minecraft by Henry Ou, MD, a pediatric otolaryngologist, who dedicated more than 500 hours of his personal time in an effort to help reduce patients' fear about being in the hospital.
Dr. Henry Ou explores Seattle Children's Hospital in Minecraft/ Photo: Seattle Children’s“When kids are hospitalized, especially for longer inpatient stays, they don’t have many opportunities for entertainment or to interact with the outside world or friends,” explained Dr. Ou. “Patients will feel more connected and less scared when they’re at Seattle Children’s because they can experience the hospital through the world of Minecraft and play with other patients at the hospital. We also hope to make this available for patients to explore before they come to the hospital to help decrease anxiety about an upcoming visit or surgery.”
Therapeutic gaming at Seattle Children’s uses video games, virtual reality and other technology to enhance patient experiences, improve outcomes, help kids cope with stress, serve as a pain distraction, and provide opportunities for socialization, education and rehabilitation.
In a unique collaboration with Microsoft, Mojang Studios and Hive Games, patients can connect with other kids in the hospital through Minecraft, even if they can’t leave their room/ Photo: Seattle Children’s“We know that for many kids, Minecraft is more than just a game,” said Ryan Cooper, Head of Minecraft Game Experience at Mojang Studios. “Our teams have been incredibly dedicated to crafting this unique world for the patients at Seattle Children’s and we hope the game continues to inspire their imagination and creativity through the power of play.”
Therapeutic Gaming Specialists Forest Coyle and Max Williams play Minecraft with Seattle Children’s patients/ Photo: Gamers OutreachThe server offers a combination of Minecraft survival and minigames to its school-aged players and is available in more than 10 languages. Mojang Studios and Hive Games are proud to have provided generous donations in development work, time and resources for the build.
Seattle Children’s is grateful for this incredible partnership which furthers its mission to provide hope, care and cures to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible.