Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Battle of the Boroughs is New York City’s public school Minecraft tournament. Teams of kids across the city compete to create builds that reflect and address real problems that the city is facing. What would the city look like if everyone had equal access to healthy food? To renewable energy? What if the Q train connected to Randall’s Island? The kids are reimagining the city and building it in Minecraft Education.
Polygon’s new documentary Battle of the Boroughs: The Kids Who Build New York City in Minecraft follows the 2025 Battle of the Boroughs competition, from early submissions through the city-wide finals held during the NYC Video Game Festival.
We visited schools, spoke to teachers, organizers and kids, saw the builds, and witnessed the finals. What we saw is an inspiration. Teachers, parents, and educators working overtime to create a tournament that challenges kids and gives them an opportunity to shine under pressure, in front of a crowd. They practice teamwork, coding, civic planning, and above all they are given the power to imagine a city that works for them.
0:00 Meeting Cynthia Andrade
1:21 What is Battle of the Boroughs?
2:14 Reimagining New York City in Minecraft
6:42 Practicing Minecraft across New York City
12:27 Borough Finals
26:19 The Finals
*IMPORTANT LINKS*
Polygon Newsletter: polygon.com/pages/newsletter
TikTok: tiktok.com/@polygon
Twitter: bit.ly/PolygonTwitter
Instagram: bit.ly/PolygonInsta
Facebook: bit.ly/PolygonFB
And for more gaming and entertainment coverage, visit polygon.com
#minecraft #nyc #polygon #documentary
Battle of the Boroughs is New York City’s public school Minecraft tournament. Teams of kids across the city compete to create builds that reflect and address real problems that the city is facing. What would the city look like if everyone had equal access to healthy food? To renewable energy? What if the Q train connected to Randall’s Island? The kids are reimagining the city and building it in Minecraft Education.
Polygon’s new documentary Battle of the Boroughs: The Kids Who Build New York City in Minecraft follows the 2025 Battle of the Boroughs competition, from early submissions through the city-wide finals held during the NYC Video Game Festival.
We visited schools, spoke to teachers, organizers and kids, saw the builds, and witnessed the finals. What we saw is an inspiration. Teachers, parents, and educators working overtime to create a tournament that challenges kids and gives them an opportunity to shine under pressure, in front of a crowd. They practice teamwork, coding, civic planning, and above all they are given the power to imagine a city that works for them.
0:00 Meeting Cynthia Andrade
1:21 What is Battle of the Boroughs?
2:14 Reimagining New York City in Minecraft
6:42 Practicing Minecraft across New York City
12:27 Borough Finals
26:19 The Finals
*IMPORTANT LINKS*
Polygon Newsletter: polygon.com/pages/newsletter
TikTok: tiktok.com/@polygon
Twitter: bit.ly/PolygonTwitter
Instagram: bit.ly/PolygonInsta
Facebook: bit.ly/PolygonFB
And for more gaming and entertainment coverage, visit polygon.com
#minecraft #nyc #polygon #documentary
