Minecraft Earth
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‘Minecraft Earth’ will shut down on June 30th
A little over a year after bringing Minecraft Earth in the US, Microsoft announced this week it will shut down the game later this year.
‘Minecraft Earth’ players can share their builds with just a web link
Microsoft is making it easier to share Minecraft Earth builds with just a link.
‘Minecraft Earth’ adds seasonal challenges for its AR builders
Minecraft Earth, Microsoft’s blocky answer to Pokémon Go, continues to evolve despite still being in Early Access mode. The latest update adds three important new features to challenge players and make it easier to keep track of past feats.
'Minecraft Earth' tweaks encourage home play and social distancing
Microsoft's mobile AR title Minecraft Earth is following the lead of Pokémon Go by introducing new features that make it easier to play at home during the coronavirus pandemic. To start with, you'll have better access to "tappables" (resources like grass, stones and livestock), because they'll spawn more often and closer to you. Also, Minecraft Earth has introduced "adventure crystals" that spawn adventures right where you are, so you'll no longer need to go out and seek them.
'Minecraft Earth' gets a bit more physical thanks to new NFC-enabled minis
When the mobile-based Minecraft Earth was announced last year, it immediately drew comparisons to Pokémon Go because of its use of augmented reality and location-based activities. But it was very different (as senior editor Jess Conditt will attest), since it didn't require you to actually go outside to partake in its mining and building gameplay. Now, Mattel has added another play dimension to Minecraft Earth that Pokémon Go can't really boast of: NFC-enabled figurines.
'Minecraft Earth' early access arrives in the US
It took ages, but Minecraft Earth is finally available on Microsoft's home soil. The early access version of the augmented reality game has launched in the US for Android and iOS. While it's still not the full-fledged version Microsoft and Mojang have been hyping for months, it will let you create dioramas, collaborate with friends on projects and tackle mobs in adventures.
'Minecraft Earth' early access comes to the UK and 8 other countries
Minecraft Earth's early access release is finally rolling out to countries around the world, although it's not necessarily available where you might expect it. Mojang and Microsoft have confirmed that the augmented reality game is now available on Android and iOS in nine countries. The UK is the most recent addition, but it's also been available for a few days in Australia, Canada, Iceland, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea and Sweden.
'Minecraft Earth' launches in early access this October
Minecraft Earth won't be stuck in beta testing for much longer. Mojang and Microsoft have revealed that the augmented reality game will be available in "early access" for some countries starting in October. It didn't say which countries or platforms would be included, but the beta has included both Android and iOS users.
'Minecraft Earth' beta is available on Android -- in five cities
Right on time, the beta test for Microsoft's augmented reality Minecraft game is ready for Android users to give it a try. Just like the beta iOS users have had access to, Minecraft Earth is still invite-only for registered testers and available in just five cities: Mexico City, London, Tokyo, Seattle and Stockholm. According to those who are already in, if you're having trouble with the invite email then try clicking the link included from your mobile device instead of on a PC.
'Minecraft Earth' beta brings AR building to Android next week
Don't worry, Android fans -- if you've been wondering when you can try the augmented reality experience of Minecraft Earth, you don't have too much longer to wait. Mojang and Microsoft have revealed that the Minecraft Earth beta will reach Google-powered devices sometime next week. It's encouraging users to sign up to get their earliest possible shot at playing.
The 'Minecraft Earth' beta begins its global takeover this month
It's been a couple of months since we first heard about Minecraft Earth, the augmented reality version of Mojang's game that makes the real world a playscape full of your blocky creations. It promised a beta release of the game would arrive this summer and now, along with a new trailer, the company says it will launch on iOS within the next two weeks, with Android following "soon thereafter."
Stop saying 'Minecraft Earth' is essentially 'Pokémon Go'
Minecraft Earth is a mobile AR game, but that doesn't mean it's Pokémon Go. Yes, it uses a mobile device. Yes, it superimposes digital objects on the physical landscape -- but that's just the definition of AR. Many stories and conversations about Minecraft Earth immediately compare it to Pokémon Go, describing it in terms of what's different or what's similar to Niantic's creature-collecting game. It'd be like contrasting The Life Aquatic with Billy Madison just because they're both shot with a camera and play out on a screen, but one happened to come out first. Pokémon Go and Minecraft Earth are vastly different experiences from the ground-up.
Microsoft saved Minecraft Earth's AR gameplay reveal for Apple
One thing missing from Microsoft's initial Minecraft Earth announcement? Actual gameplay. Strangely enough, it looks like Microsoft saved that honor for Apple, as it just debuted the first live footage of the game at the company's WWDC keynote. To recap, Minecraft Earth is a mobile augmented reality title similar to Pokemon Go. At the keynote, we watched as Mojang employees tweaked a blocky castle on a tabletop using iPhones and iPads. Then, they stepped into a life-sized version, where they were able to unearth a mine (and baddies) beneath their feet.
'Minecraft Earth' makes the world your augmented reality playground
Microsoft wants you to see Minecraft everywhere you look: a virtual tree on your lawn, a life-sized castle sticking through your house and an elaborate cave system hidden beneath your local park. This is Minecraft Earth, a free-to-play version of one of the most popular games ever made, rebuilt around augmented reality for the iPhone and Android. Similar to Pokémon Go, which popularized AR gaming in a massive way, it relies on your smartphone as a window into a virtual world. But unlike that game, Minecraft Earth is completely committed to the notion of augmented reality. You're not just running into a random Pikachu on the sidewalk, you're building elaborate Minecraft creations that everyone else can see. The title says it all: It's a planet-wide Minecraft takeover.
