It can be easy to feel a sense of hopelessness regarding the state of the world today. However, whenever I concluded my observation of the "Battle of the Boroughs" competition, I felt a renewed sense of confidence that things might turn out just fine.
"Battle of the Boroughs" is a Minecraft tournament designed specifically for New York City public schools. Student teams from across the city compete to create builds that reflect and address the real-world problems facing their municipality. What would the city look like if everyone had equal access to healthy food, or if renewable energy were omnipresent? What if the Q train connected to Randall’s Island? The younger generation is reimagining the city and constructing it within Minecraft Education.
Polygon’s new documentary, "Battle of the Boroughs: The Kids Who Build New York City in Minecraft," chronicles the 2025 competition, spanning from early submissions to the city-wide finals held during the NYC Video Game Festival.
We visited schools, spoke with teachers, organizers, and students, reviewed their designs, and witnessed the finals firsthand. What we observed was truly inspiring. Teachers, parents, and educators have dedicated time beyond their regular duties to organize a tournament that challenges students and provides them with the opportunity to shine under pressure. They practice teamwork, coding, and civic planning; above all, they are empowered to imagine a city that functions for them.
"We try to draw as much as possible from their own neighborhood — one of the previous practice prompts was building a school using sustainable materials," teacher Patricia Thams told me. "It's about imagining this area and conceptualizing what you would want." In another school I visited, students were redesigning their campus with a rooftop garden where they could access fresh produce and socialize. At an upper Manhattan school, I was informed that student input would be integrated into actual remodeling plans.
Empowering Students to Lead
While the journey begins in the classroom, the goal is for this empowerment to resonate throughout the students’ civic lives. During the 2025 semifinals and finals, the prompts moved beyond the students' immediate neighborhoods, tasking them with renovating New York City landmarks, such as Governor’s Island.
For another teacher, Cynthia Andrade, the competition serves as a capstone for her students' development. When they started school a few years ago, many were ESL students. By the end, they were giving fluent presentations on their Minecraft builds in front of large crowds.
"My biggest reward is seeing that they're able to stand up in front of an audience and talk freely about what they're doing," she said. "I tell them, 'I hope to see you grow up into the young ladies and young men you will become because you guys are going to do great things. I know it.'"
The full, 40-minute documentary regarding the Battle of the Boroughs is available for viewing. The next Battle of the Boroughs finals will take place on May 9 at Convene Brookfield Place, as part of the NYC Video Game Festival. For those unable to attend in person, the entire event will be streamed on Twitch.
