Minecraft
Genre: Open-World-Survival
Studio: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
Rent a Minecraft Server
Rent a server
Genre: Open-World-Survival
Studio: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
Rent a Minecraft Server

Minecraft Earth

In the history of Minecraft, there have been several spin-offs. The newest, Minecraft Legends, was just published in April 2023, but projects like Minecraft Education Edition and Minecraft Dungeons have also been successful. But do you remember Minecraft Earth? If so, have you ever wondered why you haven’t heard any news about it lately? And if not, aren’t you curious about it? In any case, let us tell you about the tragedy of Minecraft Earth and unveil this forgotten part of Minecraft history.

The Birth of a New Era – MC Earth

In the middle of 2019, many believe that a new age of gaming was upon us. Three years earlier, Pokemon Go had combined a large IP with an augmented reality game for the first time. Despite the drop in player numbers after the initial hype, the app still had good player numbers, inspiring other developers to join the market. Mojang revealed the upcoming title on their own website on May 17th 2019 in tandem with a trailer that showcased the idea: Players would be able to craft their own creations and place them wherever they wanted. PvE as well as missions would provide challenges and materials for buildings. All in all, the game appeared as a solid foundation on which both the community and players could work towards expanding and upgrading the MC Earth app.

The Genesis: Minecraft Earth Development & Initial Release Date

As part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Minecraft, Minecraft Earth was seen by some as an icebreaker that would ensure Minecraft’s relevancy in the upcoming years. The development team worked tirelessly to merge the Minecraft universe with augmented reality technology. The Minecraft Earth initial release date was in October 2019, when it was rolled out as an early access game across various platforms. Eager fans quickly jumped on the opportunity to download Minecraft Earth and immerse themselves in this new, innovative world. Early reports painted a rather positive picture. The technology seemed to be well implemented and the servers stable. The final Minecraft Earth release date was December 11th 2019. 

The Gameplay Experience: Crafting, Building & Exploring

The Minecraft Earth gameplay was designed to provide players with a unique and immersive experience. The game allowed users to craft and build structures in AR, merging the digital creations with the real world. The Minecraft Earth building feature enabled users to construct buildings using resources collected from the game. For those wondering how to craft in Minecraft Earth, the process was quite similar to the original game, but with the added twist of AR, making Minecraft Earth crafting a unique experience. Moreover, adventurous journeys into the Minecraft Earth Nether and Minecraft Earth End were promised to give an adrenaline rush to the players. Being rather difficult areas in the regular game, these dimensions would pose as a goal to work towards.

Minecraft Earth App: Compatibility and Downloads

Upon its launch, the Minecraft Earth app was available for both Android and iOS platforms, offering a seamless gaming experience across different devices. Players could easily have Minecraft Earth, download iOS or Android versions from respective app stores end enjoy Minecraft Earth online gameplay with other players globally. Whether or not Mojang had planned to release the game on other mobile devices is likely, although we will never truly know.

Reception & Reviews – What Did the People Say?

During its initial days, Minecraft Earth garnered a massive following, with players praising the innovative integration of Minecraft elements with AR technology. The gaming community was buzzing with reviews and testimonials, appreciating the groundbreaking minecraft augmented reality experience that brought their favorite blocks and mobs to life.

However, not all was smooth sailing. As the game progressed, several users pointed out issues concerning the game’s spatial recognition abilities and glitches in the Minecraft AR’s functionalities. These growing problems, unfortunately, began to overshadow the initial enthusiasm around the earth mc. However, it is not unusual for AR games to be initially praised and then criticized as bugs turn up. Although not perfect, with a little time and elbow grease, Mojang would surely get their gears clean and continue to develop Minecraft Earth, which was planned to be a game as a service, guaranteeing continued support for the players and a regular income for the developers. 

The Closure: Unveiling the Reasons Behind the Discontinuation

Despite the promising start, Minecraft Earth faced a steady decline, which eventually led to its discontinuation. One of the key reasons was the global COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted outdoor movements, thereby significantly hampering the AR experience. The pandemic also had similar influence over other games in the same genre, as seen with Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and The Witcher: Monster Slayer, both of which were also discontinued.

However, while COVID played a huge role in the games demise, there are other factors to consider. After all, the game that started the AR game trend in the first place is still played to this day. One such factor is the release date. Being published in late 2019, the lockdowns basically began as soon as the players started to use the app. Moreover, the game could not sustain the initial interest and engagement levels when compared to its counterpart, the original Minecraft game.

This decline in user engagement caused by these factors marked the beginning of the end for MC Earth. After a series of attempts to revitalize the game, the development team officially announced the closure of Minecraft Earth on April 1st 2021, bringing an end to an adventurous chapter in the world of augmented reality gaming.

Conclusion: Minecraft Earth 

When we look back at Minecraft Earth, what do we see? An ambitious project that sought to redefine the boundaries of gaming with augmented reality technology? Of course. A game that promised an exciting new world of adventure and creativity but could not sustain the momentum in the long run? Definitely.

But more than anything, Minecraft Earth and its end came as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry, where even the most innovative concepts might face hurdles that are hard to overcome, be they self-inflicted or not. 
For enthusiasts and gaming historians, the journey of ‘Minecraft Earth’ serves as a significant case study in the world of AR gaming, highlighting both the potentials and challenges that lie in the path of merging digital universes with real-world environments. But there is light at the end of this tunnel. The continued expansion of the Minecraft Education Edition and the release of the strategy game Minecraft Legends prove that Mojang still strives to expand their catalog. However, what you probably want to do now is experience the magic of the original game, don’t you? So don’t hesitate, jump on a Minecraft server from G-Portal and relive the original Minecraft experience. After all, who knows if it could’ve shared the fate of Minecraft Earth, had it not been for the circumstances.

similar articles