Notes

The Beano's Dennis, Gnasher And Walter Join Minecraft

The Beano's Dennis, Gnasher and Walter join Minecraft By Emily Thomas Newsbeat reporter



Minecraft players need to watch out for "softy" Walter and his stinky pants.



The PC version can now include Walter, Dennis The Menace, and Gnasher, a dog from The Beano.



Gnasher can have a sausage made by players.



It's part a larger plan by the Beano to expand into digital. It was created as a partnership between Frima Studios (a Canadian multiplatform gaming developer) and the cartoon.



Mark Cotton, who is leading digital changes at Beano, told Newsbeat that Minecraft is "their biggest passion and their greatest love"



Mark says the game will be an "extension" to the comic and an attempt make The Beano "a better overall experience for kids."



"Roughly 32,000 comics are sold each week of the Beano - so still a very healthy number," he says.



But it's far fewer than the two million sold at the magazines' peak.



Mark says that Mark is well aware that digital passions are common among today's children.
Let it sing


"We must make The Beano a 360 brand, where Dennis and Gnasher are everywhere the kids are, rather than expecting them to come to our store.



"So we're working on a whole series of initiatives over the next three to six months."



These initiatives include puzzle apps, a comic-style interactive comic, and a "action 3D" game for kids.



DC Thompson, the Beano's publisher has already extended his brand to a TV series, a photo-sharing application and a YouTube channel.



Grand Theft Auto?



The comic has been around since 1938, and has many adult fans. The Beano characters could also make an appearance on adult games such as Grand Theft Auto's Dennis the Menace.



"No. Mark says, "No.



"We are focusing on the 7-11-year-old digital product. At the moment digital is all about engaging with children and understanding their passions.



They've been working with a group of 10 Minecraft and Beano fans aged 7-11 throughout the development process.



Minnie the Minx



"We basically questioned children, "If Beano were to go into Minecraft, how would you imagine?"



"This was the first stage of what they imagined. Obviously their imaginations go a lot further than we can possibly do for the time being.



"But they wanted pranks, they wanted Walter, they wanted Gnasher, they wanted to dress up as Dennis, and that's what we've given them.



"We'll keep talking to them. Our desire is to extend this and to build Beanotown and let kids be creative.



"Minecraft gives power to children, which is why it's so popular." If we try to constrain the kids and tell them what to do they'd reject it."



Will other characters be given a chance?



"We definitely want to extend it," says Mark.



"Minnie, the Minx, is the obvious character that the kids have been asking after so that's where we'd likely look next."


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