EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMMING
SURVIVE BLOCK ISLAND
Rooster Teeth
Survive Block Island is an innovative reality competition series developed for Rooster Teeth that takes the core mechanics and emotional stakes of Survivor and reimagines them in the world of Minecraft. Across two seasons, twelve competitors are stranded on a custom-built virtual island, divided into teams, and must compete in challenges, form alliances, and vote each other off in their quest to be crowned the last player standing.
“Friendships were tested. Alliances were formed. Real emotions were felt.”
A New Kind of Reality Show
This project was more than just a fun twist on reality television, it was an experiment in emotional immersion and virtual allegiance. Could a show filmed entirely inside Minecraft still evoke the betrayals, bonds, and strategy that define traditional reality TV? The answer blew us away.
Some contestants came away from the experience feeling genuine betrayal. Others, who had never been close before, developed deep friendships just as they would on a physical island. That emotional depth became the heart of the series and proved that connection isn’t limited by geography or pixels.
This series proved that immersive storytelling doesn’t need a physical set. Survive Block Island turned Minecraft into a dynamic, emotional playground and gave us real drama, real laughter, and real community.
It’s not just a reality show inside a game. It’s proof that digital spaces can feel real.
Why It Matters
Behind the Scenes: How We Brought It to Life
Bringing Survive Block Island to life was a deeply collaborative effort. Will had the opportunity to help guide the creative vision and coordinate across multiple teams to ensure the story, gameplay, and production all aligned seamlessly. Highlights of Will’s contributions included:
Helping shape the core concept and format of the show.
Working with a developer to design the island’s detailed virtual environment.
Introducing the idea of using in-game avatars as roaming camera operators to capture a dynamic, cinematic feel.
Collaborating closely with a team of story producers to track emerging narratives and build emotional arcs in real time.
Developing a fan-accessible server to extend the experience beyond the show and into the community.
We are looking for new opportunities with creative partners and sponsors interested in this format. We have many other Pixelated Ideas around narratives being captured in the metaverses and would love the opportunity to work on them in the near future.