Minecraft Earth

What is "Minecraft Earth"

Minecraft Earth was an ambitious augmented reality (AR) mobile game developed by Mojang Studios, designed to bring the creative, block-building gameplay of Minecraft into the real world. Using your smartphone, you could explore your neighborhood and find tappables, creatures, and resources to collect. What made it special was the ability to build collaborative structures with others in “build plates” and place them into the real world using AR technology. It let players turn sidewalks, parks, and living rooms into Minecraft environments filled with blocks, mobs, and adventure.

Gameplay Mechanics

Minecraft Earth offered several unique features like adventures, which were short, real-world-based missions you could complete with friends. You could fight hostile mobs, gather resources, and even uncover treasures using your phone’s GPS and AR camera. You earned materials by exploring and used them to build life-sized creations. One of the most innovative aspects was multiplayer collaboration—players could walk around their creations and interact with them as if they were physically present. The game merged creativity and mobility in a way that encouraged outdoor play and social interaction.

Shutdown and Legacy

Minecraft Earth launched in early access in late 2019, but despite its innovation, the game was shut down on June 30, 2021. The global COVID-19 pandemic, which discouraged public interaction and outdoor activity, had a major impact on the game’s potential success. Mojang made the difficult decision to redirect focus to other projects like Minecraft Dungeons and Minecraft Legends. However, many fans remember Minecraft Earth fondly for its creative AR features and its promise of blending the digital and real worlds in new and exciting ways.

Related