Wrexham University gamers build Wrexham Eisteddfod on Minecraft

A group of gaming specialists have used Minecraft to build a block-by-block replica of the site of the 2025 National Eisteddfod.

The project has been developed by computing specialists at Wrexham University to help those who cannot attend the festival to explore a virtual Maes, which means field in Welsh.

The game is set in an “open world”, allowing players to create almost anything out of blocks to add to the replica site of the festival in Wrexham.

Senior lecturer in games media Matthew McDonald-Dick, 26, said a team of four had worked for about three weeks to bring the festival to life.

He said: “I’ve personally probably put in about sort of 40 to 50 hours just building it and then the last week moderating it has probably been a good 30 hours or so as well.”

Minecraft created by Mojang Studios has grown in popularity since its test release in 2009 and is now the biggest selling computer game of all time.

About 50 or 60 people from Wales, England and Ireland had entered the Eisteddfod server since it went live last Saturday, when the festival began.

Once inside the game, players can navigate the village, exploring performance stages, craft stalls and contribute their own designs.

Mr McDonald-Dick said: “We’ve had people build a nice big Welsh dragon, daffodils and the two tractors that are near the reception of the Maes and they’ve both been built by outside people, not from the university.”

The National Eisteddfod is the largest cultural festival in Europe, and it is hosted in a different location across Wales each year.

The developers of the virtual Maes hope it will encourage the use of Welsh in a natural, playful setting.

Seren Nia Edwards, 23, a game art graduate from Wrexham University said: “Being able to take part in the Minecraft Eisteddfod project has been really fun, it merges my excitement for building digital worlds and for Welsh culture.”

She said it had been “amazing” to see Wales replicated in “such an exciting and inclusive way”.

Ms Edwards is among five people moderating the server every day, ensuring people are not setting fire to things or accidentally deleting the game.

Mr McDonald-Dick said Minecraft was an ideal choice as schools gave out licences for the game as part of their education edition and the game was compatible across devices, including someone who played the game walking around the real site on their iPad.

“We’ve had kids and adults having a go,” he said. “One mum even sat down for a turn. With Minecraft being a kid’s game, it’s so easy to use.”

He added: “It’s so nice seeing the creativity that everybody has put into it.

“It’s just seeing the community come together to build something and that’s what we wanted, the people who can be here that can go home and play it, but also the people who can’t be here today and throughout the week.”

The server is set to remain live for another month.