With over 3 million copies sold and counting, Minecraft has turned into the little PC game that could. The sandbox themed game with minimal graphics has become a shining example of how developing an indie PC game can turn into a massive success. Today, yet another part of that success went into a new chapter as tickets went on sale for MineCon, the official convention dedicated to Minecraft.
The official MineCon web site is now live with tickets now on sale for $99 which will be held at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas on November 18-19. Those tickets will go up to $139 on October 1. The web site has also posted word that the first 500 ticket holders will be entered into a draw. The winner will receive a free hotel room at the Mandalay Bay, VIP seating at the show"s keynote speeches and classes events and a meal with the Minecraft development team from Mojang.
Besides keynote speeches and classes (including a speech from Minecraft"s creator Markus "Notch" Persson), MineCon will also feature costume contests, an exhibit hall with "leading gaming and Minecraft related companies", special merchandise and more. The event itself is being held in conjunction with the official launch of Minecraft itself. The game was first released to the public in an alpha version in 2009 and went into beta in late 2010. While the game will technically be released this November, the development team plans to continue to support and update Minecraft after its launch.