Engaging Youth in Urban Planning Discussions with Minecraft: Challenges and Opportunities

This study explores the potential of Minecraft as a game-based platform to engage youth, and particularly NEET youth, in urban planning discussions. Methodology: An exploratory qualitative case study was done in collaboration with a Swedish municipality, using observations of modded Minecraft play sessions, interviews, and ethnographic data from an internship program. Findings: Our data collection led us to identify four themes: (i) Minecraft Enables, the game supports visualization of planning ideas; (Ii) Minecraft Skills Enable, familiarity with the game facilitates participation; (iii) Preferences and Norms, personal ideals shape design choices; and (iv) Understanding Needs, limited awareness of urban functions constrains meaningful engagement. Originality: Unlike prior studies focusing on children or general youth, this research examines NEET youth as a hard-to-reach group and positions Minecraft as a boundary object for participatory planning rather than a formal planning tool. Contribution: This study contributes insight into the use of Minecraft in participatory planning with NEET youth, a rarely studied group in serious games literature and game-based approaches.