Minecraft creator looks to boost interest in Raspberry Pi

Minecraft's creators are heralding the Raspberry Pi version of their game as a chance for budding engineers to learn basic programming.

The Raspberry Pi version of Minecraft  will be a free to download game based on Minecraft: Pocket Edition. The game allows for users to open up the game and use its programming language to build things in the game world.

"You can start by building structures in the traditional Minecraft way, but once you've got to grips with the in-game features, there's opportunities to break open the code and use the programming language to manipulate things in the game world," the games creators, Mojang, in a blog post.

"You'll be learning new skills through Minecraft."

The giveaway comes following a partnership with the Pi creators and the team behind Minecraft.

The Raspberry Pi has quickly established itself as a useful educational tool. Its low-cost and form-factor make it ideal as a learning device. Now with a growing list of supporters the device looks to become even more popular.

The idea of a fun and challenging game like Minecraft being used to learn programming skills should appeal to almost anyone interested in the trade. From students to adults, the mass appeal of the game and the low-cost of the device make for a useful learning opportunity.

26 Nov 2012