Self Promotion: john st. 20th Anniversary: Minecraft Edition

The Eiffel Tower. Big Ben. The Great Pyramid of Giza. 172 John St. What do these structures have in common? Well, they have all been recreated in painstaking detail in the massively popular world-building game Minecraft. As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, Toronto agency john st. recreated its office right down to the very last detail—including its distinctive 650-pound concrete reception bench and the staff’s favourite elevator-riding dog, Doug. And with large get-togethers still discouraged, this Minecraft site also became the site of a virtual hang to mark the agency’s milestone anniversary. Yes, they had an office party in Minecraft. The virtual recreation was made by Gamefruitpulp, a Toronto gamer and YouTuber who spent several years creating the ambitious Building Toronto Project, a 1:1 recreation of the city within Minecraft that includes instantly recognizable recreations of well-known buildings such as the Fairmont Royal York Hotel and the Flatiron Building. Agency leaders kept the Minecraft version of john st. under wraps until July 23 (the agency’s official opening date), when it opened its doors for a virtual get-together to celebrate the agency’s milestone anniversary. For some staff members who were hired during the pandemic, it was their first time seeing the agency “in person.” The online space was unveiled during the Friday Breakfast all-staff meeting and staff were then given the day to explore the space and explore various quests in teams. The experience began with a tour of a retrospective Hall of Fame of previous john st. work outside the building. john st.’ers were welcomed to the space by the agency’s beloved and long-serving receptionist, who jokingly reminded them to fill out their time sheets before sending them on quests that included putting out fires in the production department, picking up strategy department buzzwords, and finding hidden Easter eggs based on inside jokes and moments only someone who worked at john st. would know. All before making their way to a rooftop party, complete with dance floor, fireworks, bar and agency alumni. The culmination of the day brought the agency together to watch a Twitch live-casted walkthrough of the space, with ongoing commentary from john st.’s resident gaming expert. The building will remain in Gamefruitpulp’s Toronto cityscape, with the exterior exploration remaining open to anyone with a Minecraft Java account for several months.