Minecraft Earth: Preorder Now, Get in October

AR for the Masses

Mojang finally has released some details on the upcoming Minecraft Earth. If the project really offers what it promises, it can become the fourth big AR game in the world, after Ingress, Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. And, given that all three are drawn upon the same core by Niantic, probably the first truly alternative AR game.

Saying “alternative”, though, wouldn’t be correct when it comes to Minecraft. It’s a hugely popular franchise that has its unique visual style and almost unlimited creative potential, with millions of fans worldwide. So the initial premise for Minecraft Earth’s popularity is already here.

Construction Time Ahead

The new Minecraft installation will transfer the most popular elements of the sandbox game into the real world. Through the lens of your camera, you will be able to see monsters attacking you, wood and ore to craft useful items and buildings created by you or other users. The latter might become the most attractive feature of Minecraft Earth, growing into a form of art (like it happened to the original Minecraft).

The pre-registration starts on September 28, on the official Minecraft Earth site. Then fans will be able (with a little luck) to participate in the beta testing of the game. The release will take place a bit later.

Though the game will not be available in the whole world in one moment, Microsoft as the publisher wants to have Minecraft Earth released in all the planned countries by the 2019 holidays. The early access will probably start in minor markets, in smaller countries – probably because players there are not so numerous and will be easy to deal with. If there are any issues, they will be easier to fix. If everything goes smooth, the experience will be just scaled up.

Some Weird Reward

The early access, though, will provide only a part of the entire Minecraft Earth experience. The publisher doesn’t clearly say what it will mean. But it’s obvious that the full version won’t be available in early access right away.

What will surely be there is Adventures. This mode has already been announced, and it’s probably easier to make. In this mode, the player has to face challenges that come out randomly and put them into the middle of the action. The experience is announced as “social multiplayer” and is said to provide much better and deeper immersion due to life-size objects are seen through the lens.

The adventures may be quite peaceful, like collecting and matching flowers and flowerpots. On the other hand, they may also be influenced by Survival mode. And then you have a real nightmare coming out of the AR, like a horde of zombies and skeletons attacking you. Luckily, in Minecraft, you can always craft a weapon and protect yourself. If you successfully survive, you are rewarded with a flowery cow named Moobloom that leaves flowers behind as it walks.

There will be more to Minecraft Earth after the release. For example, Tappables will appear around and provide you with the most common materials and mobs. For completing Adventures you’ll get rarer types of materials. Then you’ll be able to use them on your Buildplate and then share your creations into the larger world of Minecraft. But it’s all left for the final release.