The App Store from Apple is set to be the first digital store to hold the Minecraft Earth Beta, and the Androids are not far behind. We know that it is set to be a large release at the end July, but there is no word on what day of the month we can expect the AR game to make its debut. One thing we are sure of is the thrill and popularity that this game is going to bring to augmented reality.
Minecraft Earth first made its preview to the public back in May of 2019, but many didn’t know about the new upcoming AR game until the Apple Keynote Event at the beginning of June when they showcased the new capabilities. Along with the announcement video in June, the official Minecraft blog says they plan to release another video regarding the games mechanics and physics very shortly.
If you are unfamiliar with AR, (augmented reality) it is the same type of technology that was used in Pokemon Go. If that doesn’t ring a bell, it is a digital overlay of the world surrounding you. This seems as if objects were standing or walking right in front of you, and chances are the phone you have right now is powerful enough to function with this technology. To understand all of this a little more thoroughly, check out the video below from the announcement this past May.
Like the mobile version of Minecraft, once you collect enough resources you are able to build your own structures. This is going to be the same in theory, as you will have to collect a number of “tappables” before you can start to create your augmented kingdoms inside of your augmented reality. This is an app idea that has never been implanted in our realties just yet. Whatever and wherever you create in this game, everyone will be able to interact with it. If you build an amazing igloo right outside of your office, anyone else with the app will be able to see it. Not only will it be visible to anyone else with this software installed on their phone, but they will be able interact with the structures. They will be able to break or build on top of the work you have already done.
We have seen Minecraft inside of virtual reality since the middle of 2016 and it has been a staple in the industry for some time now. It hasn’t made an impact and selling like many would have thought, but I truly believe the augmented reality version of this game is going to be a better experience than virtual reality ever gave Minecraft users. The augmented version on the phone is going to be better than the mobile version was ever as well.
You can sign up to be a part of the beta software starting today, as they will only be available to certain groups of people in certain cities across the world. Mojang is going to be playing the long game while they are perfecting this app and they are going to make sure it is an experience that they can give to everyone to enjoy.
If you visit the official Minecraft website you will find much more to do while you interact with and learn about their worlds. The company has made sure to keep Minecraft relevant to all of its users, regardless of what platform that the game seems to be best optimized from. We believe that AR is going to be one of the final forms of Minecraft as it surely will be the best.