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'Minecraft' library helps you dodge news media censorship
There are numerous ways to evade censorship of the press, but it's getting increasingly difficult when countries like China and Russia are cracking down on VPNs and similar tools. Reporters Without Borders thinks it has the answer to those mounting obstacles: make the news available in a game that's rarely blocked. The team has worked with BlockWorks and MediaMonks on the Uncensored Library, a Minecraft map that includes articles from journalists and sites whose work is frequently censored for its unflattering truths. You'll find articles from murdered Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi (whose fiancée Hatice Cengiz supports the project), the activist-friendly Russian site Grani.ru and the Egyptian anti-corruption outlet Mada Masr, among others.
Minecraft Festival is postponed due to coronavirus fears
Minecraft is such a cultural phenomenon that it was supposed to have its own three-day convention in September with interactive exhibits, co-op and competitive gameplay, live entertainment, panels and merch. Tickets to the first-ever Minecraft Festival in Orlando were set to go on sale this week. ReedPop -- which also organizes New York Comic Con and San Diego Comic Con -- has announced that the convention has been postponed by a full year due to the coronavirus outbreak. While the event was months away and the epidemic could be resolved by then, the partners, producers and exhibitors have hit a wall when it comes to planning the fest and ensuring a fun experience.
Minecraft Festival is coming to Orlando in September
Minecraft's annual event started out as a convention, but flipped to a streaming-only format in 2017 in a bid to maintain the tight-knit atmosphere for an increasingly large audience. It's moving back to that in-person experience, however, and it now has details to share. The renamed Minecraft Festival is now slated to take place at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center between September 25th and September 27th, with tickets available starting March 6th at 12PM Eastern. Mojang and Microsoft are promising plenty of things to do besides hearing the latest Minecraft news, including panels, exhibits, tournaments, "live entertainment" and, of course, exclusive merch.
'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.
Walmart's weekend sale includes a $150 Xbox One S All-Digital Edition
Microsoft's cheapest Xbox One S is back to the lowest price we've seen, and is available for $150 at Walmart this weekend, $100 off the regular price. A few Black Friday deals saw the All-Digital version of the console drop to a price that low, but now that we're in a new year -- and we all know when the Xbox Series X is coming -- maybe it's a little more clear that you'd like an HDR-ready version of the Xbox One to hold you over. It's not as powerful as the pricier Xbox One X, but if all you want to do is watch 4K video and play a few downloaded games -- or maybe do some xCloud streaming in the future -- then it fits the bill, and for a lower price than other consoles -- even the Nintendo Switch. With this bundle, it even throws in Sea of Thieves, Minecraft and Fortnite with 2,000 V-bucks and a special skin. Buy Xbox One S 1 TB All-Digital Edition on Walmart - $150
Fans are creating a Harry Potter role-playing game inside 'Minecraft'
There have been some ambitious Minecraft projects before, but this one may win for sheer sophistication. The modding team Floo Network is creating Minecraft School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a Harry Potter-themed role-playing experience inside a Minecraft map. You're not just there to admire the accurate (if blocky) renditions of Hogwarts and its environs, although those are meticulous in their own right. You can solve puzzles, undertake quests, shop at Diagon Alley and fly over the Quidditch pitch -- this is more of a game than a sightseeing trip.
What to do when everything on their holiday wish list is digital
The following scenario will play out thousands of times this holiday season, and if you're buying a lot of presents for friends and family, it'll likely affect your life personally. You: What do you want for the holidays? Them: The new Akali skin for League of Legends! You: I can get you some Riot Points, but I can't wrap them. Anything else? Them: The Staccato Shotto for Fortnite! You: Same problem. Them: How about Luigi's Mansion 3? Here, just download it on my Switch. You: Ugh. With the advent of living, online worlds and digital-first storefronts, plenty of gamers' wish lists include intangible items like cosmetic upgrades, fresh weapons, extra characters and new games. Gift cards make it easy to hand out in-game currency for most major titles, and download codes mean you don't even have to put on pants to pick out a present. However, white elephant gift exchanges are pretty boring when everyone passes around nondescript envelopes. Even in the modern online age, there's something deeply unsatisfying about giving someone a fully digital present. Luckily, there's a way to give your friends and family all the in-game goodies they want and also provide something to unwrap, all without buying extra presents. It's craft time, baby.
'Minecraft Dungeons' will arrive in April 2020
Game developer Mojang last year unexpectedly announced that it was working on Minecraft Dungeons -- a blocky take on classic dungeon crawlers. Now we know when we can finally expect it to land. Initially slated for 2019, Microsoft now says the game will be arriving on Xbox One, PC, Switch and PS4 in April next year.
'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' adds a character creator option
Minecraft players are getting more control over how their avatar looks. The latest beta build includes a character creator option that'll let you tweak the body shape, skin tone, hairstyle and color, facial hair and eyes. You'll be able to pick from more than 100 free items, and others created by the Minecraft team will be available to buy.
'Minecraft' now has 112 million monthly players
Fortnite might still have the lion's share of public attention, but that doesn't mean it's hurting the other gaming phenomenon. Microsoft's Helen Chiang told Business Insider in an interview that Minecraft now has 112 million active players every month, a surge of 20 million over figures from October 2018. This includes players across all platforms, including those who play the game as part of an Xbox Game Pass, but that's still no small achievement for a game that has been around in some form for roughly a decade.
'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.
Facebook is training an AI assistant inside ‘Minecraft’
The most advanced AIs today can perform select tasks with superhuman-like efficiency, beating the best humans have to offer at intricate games like Starcraft II and Go. But ask those same AIs to perform something outside of their area of expertise, and they'll struggle. Creating an AI that's a generalist is one of the next major challenges of AI research. And it's something a team of researchers at Facebook is attempting to do by teaching an AI how to play a game.
'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.
YouTube sues user who extorted others through fake takedown requests
A lawsuit filed by YouTube yesterday claims that a user abused its copyright infringement reporting system to extort fellow YouTubers and carry out a swatting attack. YouTube alleges that Christopher Brady, of Omaha, Nebraska, filed dozens of Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notices, which falsely claimed that materials posted by other users infringed his copyrights. Not only were the takedown notices bogus, they were allegedly part of Brady's plan to extort money from those users.
NVIDIA ray-tracing on 'Minecraft' looks surprisingly cool
Minecraft's blocky world might be the last place you'd think would need more realism. However, NVIDIA and Microsoft have announced that they've done exactly that, bringing RTX ray-tracing powers to the ever-popular game. "In normal Minecraft, a block of gold just appears yellow," said Minecraft's Saxs Persson, "but with ray tracing turned on, you really get to see the specular highlight, you get to see the reflection, you can even see a mob reflected in it."
'Minecraft' wont get that huge graphics overhaul after all
Minecraft's big Super Duper Graphics Pack is no more after two years of delays. Mojang has cancelled the visual overhaul after deciding that it was "too technically demanding" to implement. The developers "aren't happy" with the upgrade's performance across platforms, and chose to axe the project rather than offer inconsistent quality.
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."
