Eikon Exhibition Centre, Lisburn

Located next to the iconic Maze prison, the Eikon Exhibition Centre saw an influx of new inmates recently. Their only crime was to possess Minecraft-addicted children. But doing time at MineVention was more of a pleasure than a chore. While some pop culture conventions in Ireland greedily squeeze in as many punters as possible, MineVention, an Irish production, ensures that visitors experience everything on offer.

At the event, like-minded souls constructed worlds on a network of free-play stations. These deranged architects took part in tournaments and building battles. The virtual reality zone indulged MineCraft fantasies, as headsets transformed users into a mass of moving pixels. Lego Zone let the younger attendees run wild like developers during the boom. The star attraction was a line-up of YouTubers – including Sqaishey and Tomohawk – who might not mean much to anyone over 23, but are legends amongst Minecraft fans. Finally, Education Zone showed how Minecraft can be a healthy obsession: most of the young designers at MineVention could do a better job than the average town planner.