To celebrate ten years, Minecraft will be releasing a free-to-play AR app that will allow players to collect blocks, gather resources, collaborate with friends, and survive mobs.
Minecraft is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the announcement of Minecraft Earth, a free-to-play app for both iOS and Android that will be fairly similar to what we know and love about Pokemon Go.
You will be able to explore your neighborhood with a new perspective — Minecraft blocks to collect, mobs to defeat (or run away from), and a “chance to discover unique variants, and use them to populate your builds.” There isn’t much information on what exactly will be available to do, build, or collect in the game just yet, as Microsoft is being fairly tight-lipped on the exact details. But for kids that love Pokemon Go, Minecraft Earth has the potential to bring Minecraft to parks, backyards, and cities around the world.
Minecraft Earth will be available globally and Microsoft “will roll the game out gradually to ensure everyone gets the best play experience.” Every language that is supported by the full Minecraft game will be supported in Minecraft Earth.
For parents that are concerned about player safety, as most of us are, Minecraft Earth is thinking about that, too.
“We take safety seriously and are taking measures to make Minecraft Earth an enjoyable and reliable experience for all our players,” according to the Minecraft Earth website. “Players and parents will be able to use Account Management to adjust safety and privacy settings. A reporting system will allow players to report any concerns in-game and on our website. In addition, we will also have a moderation team working 24/7 to manage and respond to reports.”
Minecraft Earth will be going into “closed beta” later this summer, according to the website, and interested players can sign up in advance by using their Microsoft account. There’s no word on when Minecraft Earth will roll out in full in the U.S. or Canada, but based on how Pokemon Go rolled out worldwide, we may be able to anticipate seeing Minecraft Earth as early as this fall.
