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The best-selling PC game of all time is launching its block-building fun on the real world. David Crookes reveals what to expect
What is it?
Minecraft Earth Is the latest Iteration of one of the globe's most successful gaming franchises, and this time It Is bursting out of Its In-game world. By branching into real life using augmented reality (AR), the block building game is overlaying virtual creations on the streets and spaces around you, paving the way for a whole new mobile experience that could be gaming's next big thing.
How different will it be?
Like the original Minecraft, which was released in 2011, Minecraft Earth allows players to gather resources, engage in crafting and build structures that others can enjoy and explore. The big difference is that it will create a living, breathing parallel land in which the objects you construct are placed in specific realworld locations in life-size AR. When other players wander by, they'll be able to see those structures through their phones or tablets and interact with them. Creation and discovery is key.
So is it a blockbuster in the making?
Time will tell but developer Microsoft is hoping so. Not only is it building on a strong user base of 91 million active Minecraft players, but the company believes gamers will enjoy the opportunity to express their creative side on a far grander scale than before. Microsoft has also seen the impact of Niantic's AR game, Pokémon Go, which peaked at 147 million monthly users in May 2018 and has been downloaded more than a billion times. The appetite for using real-world settings and mobile devices' GPS appears strong.
How does it work?
The game looks set to...