Tech: MineVention - Minecraft Exhibition Review

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.