Minecraft Earth AR Game Officially Revealed by Microsoft (VIDEO)
Today is currently the 10-year anniversary of blocky sandbox title Minecraft, the game taking the occasion to celebrate its decade-long popularity and sustained cultural impact. Though the past week has been adequately peppered with fun goodies such as a free re-release of the original Alpha, the proceedings have now culminated in the announcement of an all-new spin-off title called Minecraft Earth.
Taking a few cues from Niantic’s Pokémon GO, this new Earthly iteration of Minecraft utilizes the power of augmented reality, tasking players with exploring real-world areas to collect blocks, round up mobs, and craft their own life-size structures. “This is Minecraft like you’ve never experienced it before, allowing you to give your day-to-day life a Minecraft makeover,” says Mojang’s announcement. An official reveal trailer for Minecraft Earth can be seen below.
Free-to-play through an Android or iOS mobile device, Minecraft Earth is said to feature a world of familiar Minecraft elements players can interact with. Players can build blocky creations with buddies, complete varied challenges, and discover mobs such as Pigs and Endermen roaming around the neighborhood. The game also teases the presence of hostile mobs, suggesting players will be able to fight Zombies, Spiders, and Creepers along their new AR journey. An official outline from Mojang can be viewed below.
- Collect! Minecraft Earth features many of the mobs you know and love, along with a bunch of new ones we can’t wait to show you. Over time, you’ll get the chance to discover unique variants, and use them to populate your builds. Minecraft pigs parading around your local park? That’s about to become your reality.
- Explore! Your real-life neighbourhood is about to take on a new dimension. Gather resources, take on challenges, and experience a whole new world to discover!
- Collaborate! Build even better by teaming up with other Minecraft Earth players. You can craft amazing creations together. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
- Survive! Sure, you’re good at fighting hostile mobs in Minecraft, but are you ready to battle Minecraft mobs in real life? Best of luck, because we’re going to put your survival skills to the test!
Minecraft Earth fans will get their first chance to play the mobile title this summer in a closed beta session. While no specific release date exists as of yet, both Android and iOS devices are confirmed to be included in the test whenever it goes live. Though Mojang admits the beta will be “limited” in nature, the company anticipates it reaching “hundreds of thousands of players.” Sign-ups for the upcoming beta are currently live on the Minecraft website, where players earn a special Minecraft Bedrock skin upon completion.
What do you think? Does Minecraft Earth look like it’s worth a shot, or will you be sticking to the Bedrock version for the time being? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more headlines recently featured on DFTG, check out these next few news stories:
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
