Highlights
- The Kung Fu Panda DLC for Minecraft is a hit, but a Shrek crossover could be even more successful with its larger fanbase.
- Mojang should fully embrace Shrek’s satirical humor and meme culture for a truly funny and engaging Minecraft crossover.
- A Shrek and Minecraft mashup could offer fans of both franchises a side-splittingly hilarious addition to the game world.
The release of the Kung Fu Panda DLC for Mojang’s perennially popular sandbox title, Minecraft, marks the latest in a long line of pop-culture crossovers for the game. Featuring appearances by popular Kung Fu Panda characters such as Po and Lord Shen and special, in-game objectives based on the films, the recently released add-on gives fans of the franchise plenty to enjoy. With this family-friendly DLC already managing to win over players, Mojang should consider turning to DreamWorks’ most popular pop-culture property, Shrek, for its next Minecraft crossover.
Just as its Kung Fu Panda DLC for Minecraft managed to incorporate some of the most iconic elements of those films into the add-on’s gameplay, Mojang could give Shrek a similar treatment. With an even larger fanbase than the Kung Fu Panda franchise and a cast of characters that have become some of pop culture’s biggest animated icons, a Shrek crossover could potentially prove to be one of Minecraft’s most successful DLC releases ever. And, with Shrek proving to be fertile ground for humor both on and off the big screen for over a decade, it could also be Minecraft’s funniest DLC yet.
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Shrek DLC for Minecraft Could Be a Big Draw for Fans of the Films
While the Kung Fu Panda franchise has become somewhat of a pop culture phenomenon in its own right, it can’t hold a candle to the success of DreamWorks’ ever-expanding slate of content set in the Shrek universe. Not only do Shrek and its sequels occupy the top three spots in terms of box office gross for DreamWorks Animation films, but they have also spawned successful spin-offs and even a Netflix TV show. This sort of wide-ranging appeal would make a Minecraft crossover a can’t-miss event for many Shrek fans.
Tapping into Shrek’s fan base with a high-profile crossover could spell success for Mojang and even convince some fans to try Minecraft for the first time. Just as it did for the Kung Fu Panda DLC, Mojang could create a new map for Shrek’s video game crossover littered with nods to the original film and its spin-offs along with unique quests for players to take part in. To make the most of this sort of collaboration, though, Mojang would need to fully embrace the films’ satirical humor as well as the meme culture that has sprouted up around them.
A Shrek Crossover Would Let Mojang Mine for Comedy Gold
Rather than just simply adding some custom cosmetics and new areas to the game, a potential Shrek and Minecraft mashup should lean into the series’ satirical humor. Much like the Shrek films have skewered pop culture over the years, the same should hold true for a Minecraft crossover. Rather than targeting movie tropes like in Shrek’s big-screen outings, the ornery ogre could set his satirical sights on Minecraft, sending up the sandbox title and the gaming industry as a whole in the process.
The comedy in a Shrek and Minecraft crossover shouldn’t be restricted to channeling the films, though, it should also embrace how the former has become a mainstay of meme culture. This would make for an unexpected treat for fans of Shrek’s prominent place in the annals of internet humor. And while some of the most popular Shrek memes would likely be too risqué to include in an all-ages game like Minecraft, there’s no reason Mojang couldn’t include references to some of the more family-friendly ones.
By combining DreamWorks’ ubiquitous animated ogre with Mojang’s massively successful sandbox game, a Shrek and Minecraft crossover would give fans of both franchises something to enjoy. Not only would this give Mojang a chance to add another high-profile collaboration to its collection, but it could also embrace the humor that has made Shrek a fan favorite and give gamers a side-splittingly hilarious addition to the world of Minecraft.
Minecraft
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , PS3 , PS Vita , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , Switch , 3DS , PC , Android , iOS , Wii U
- Released
- November 18, 2011
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- How Long To Beat
- N/A
- X|S Enhanced
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 1 GB (December 2023)
- Metascore
- 93
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Number of Players
- 1-4