Minecraft Earth was launched in early 2019 and some of the first game was showcased during WWDC 2019 before being launched in November that year. The idea was very neat and brings the collaborative, creative game of Minecraft to the real world with AR, but the reality of 2020 and the pandemic forced the end of the game.
Minecraft shared the news on its blog today (it looks like it’s being pulled for the time being) that Minecraft Earth will close on June 30, 2021, with the main reason COVID-19 and how it changed lives:
Minecraft Earth is designed around free movement and collaborative play – two things that have become almost impossible in the current global situation. As a result, we made the difficult decision to reallocate our resources to other areas that provide value to the Minecraft community and to end support for Minecraft Earth in June 2021.
However, there is one last update starting today, with users able to play until June 30:
That said, we have one more update left. Today we introduce the final version of the game, which contains some changes to make your time in Minecraft Earth as enjoyable as possible. We hope these adjustments will enable you to explore, manufacture and build more – while staying safe inside. We start with the update today:
* Removing real-money transactions
* Drastically reduce ruby costs
* Including all completed, unreleased content currently in our pipeline
* Reducing time requirements for manufacturing and smelting
* The replacement of unused craft and smelting improvements with radius improvements of the same level
* The awarding of a set of Character Creator items to players who sign up between January 5 and June 30
As for the purchases of Minecraft Earth, here’s what you can expect with the closing:
All players with paid ruby balances are awarded Minecoins, which you can use on the Minecraft Marketplace to buy skin and texture packs, cards, and even mini-games. Plus, if you’ve ever made a purchase in Minecraft Earth, you’ll receive a free copy of Minecraft (the Bedrock version), so you can get a fresh start while picking up treats from the Marketplace!
The Minecraft team ends with a thank you to everyone who played and created:
That said, we would like to thank all the players and creators who offer new adventures, crowds and free items in the game for a while to enjoy the community while we complete our timeline for the downfall of the game. Your feedback and creations have taken this game to a whole different level, from the frequent challenges you absolutely broke to the incredible buildings you shared on social media. We are eternally grateful for the amazing talent in the Minecraft community. It was not an easy decision, and we do everything in our power to make sure you get the most out of Minecraft Earth before it goes down.
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