Just over an year after introducing Minecraft Earth in the US, Microsoft announced this week it would shut down the game in the coming year. Minecraft Earth players have until June 30th, 2021, to play the augmented reality title before Microsoft shuts down its servers and it's no longer available for download from the app marketplaces.
Developer Mojang Studios attributed the shutdown to the coronavirus pandemic, and all the changes in everyday life that it has brought with it. Minecraft crafting "Minecraft Earth was designed around free movement and collaborative play and collaboration - two things that have become near impossible in the current climate," the studio said. Like Niantic with Pokemon Go, Mojang had tweaked the game to make it easier to play at home. Clearly, these changes weren't enough.
After many amazing adventures, we've come to the difficult decision that Minecraft Earth will be shut down in June 2021. We're grateful for all your help, and today's last version includes a few tweaks to make the last few months as enjoyable as they can be:
- https://t.co/D9fEGuOoqX - pic.twitter.com/KyHIToSrsI
- Minecraft (@Minecraft) 5 January 2021 If there's a silver-lining in this day's news is that Mojang plans to end Minecraft Earth in style. The studio has released one final update to the game , which promises changes "to make your time in Minecraft Earth as fun as it can be." Among other tweaks that the update removes of real-money transactions and dramatically reduces the time it will take for players to craft and build things within the game. Additionally, players can look through all the content Mojang was working with before the announcement. Mojang has stated that they believe these changes will allow players to explore, create, and share more while remaining safe indoors.
Microsoft will erase player information on July 1 after June 30th is finished. You'll receive a token if you spend money in Minecraft Earth during the game's existence. This token will allow you to download the Bedrock version of Minecraft on your phone. There are more details regarding the closure on the Minecraft website.
It's a disappointing end for Minecraft Earth for Microsoft. The company had high expectations for the game when it first showcased at WWDC 2019. It's not a good indication for consumers using AR applications in the future that Minecraft Earth was unable to beat the virus using all the resources of Microsoft.
Mojang said that they will always be grateful for the incredible talent of the Minecraft community. "This was not an easy choice. We're doing everything we can to ensure you get the best out of Minecraft Earth before it goes dark."
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