Crystal blocks: Swarovski meets Minecraft

Minecraft is the best-selling computer game of all time, and this year's film version attracted many fans to theaters. Now Swarovski has dedicated its own collection of crystal figurines to the popular pop culture phenomenon.

Left: Minecraft figures made of crystal: Alex, a pig, Steve, and a Creeper. © Swarovski

Popular block game on PC

Swarovski certainly knew who to bring on board for a successful collaboration. Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of all time, has sold over 300 million copies worldwide, and even today, after more than 15 years, still has more than 140 million monthly users.

Why is the game so popular? It's basically like Lego, only better – because you never run out of bricks to build with. In fact, the colorful block world is so creative and engaging that it's even been used in schools for educational purposes for several years. Minecraft teaches math and physics, for example, and building with different materials, which, among other things, mimic the properties of electricity, can contribute to creative solutions that are directly transferable to real life.

The game is popular with children and adults alike, making it a perfect family pastime. All in all, it's a well-rounded game—well, actually, a square one, because despite all the expansions, Minecraft has never lost its iconic blocky character.

Adventures of Crystal

Thanks to this iconic character, the crystal figurines that Swarovski has now released in its new collaboration with Minecraft are immediately recognizable. They feature the game's two heroes and avatars, Steve and Alex, as well as a pig and a Creeper, the famous monster that sneaks up on you quietly from behind, then explodes on the spot and—much to the chagrin of players—destroys the environment, often forcing players to rebuild their projects.

Alex is armed with a sword, which can also be used to defend against monsters like the exploding Creeper. Steve carries a pickaxe, which is used to mine the blocks of the Minecraft world to find resources for crafting buildings and other items. 

In fact, the Minecraft world offers so many creatures, landscapes, and blocks that it wouldn't be surprising if, after these first four figures, more collectibles were created from Swarovski crystal. Of course, you shouldn't just carve them with a pickaxe...