The early access version of Minecraft Earth launched in the United Kingdom on November 5 on Android and iOS, joining eight other countries. The developers also promise that more countries will be added "in the coming weeks." Additionally, a demo will be playable in Microsoft stores throughout the US and Canada, as well as those in London, England and Sydney, Australia.
Early access began in October of this year. Now, the UK joins the list with Canada, South Korea, Mexico, Philippines, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and Iceland. The game has previously been available in closed beta on an invite-only basis in five cities, including London, Stockholm, Seattle, Tokyo, and Mexico City.
"We will release in a few smaller markets initially," Microsoft said in a statement via Polygon, adding, "And once we’re performing well in those markets, add more and more countries every few days/weeks until eventually, we’re worldwide by this holiday."
The AR offshoot of the popular video game allows players to use their smartphones to build and place their creations in the real world. Just like in the original game, players will also have to defend their buildings from Minecraft mobs, similar to the incredibly popular Pokémon GO, which took the world by storm.
Players can traverse their own neighborhood to collect so-called tappables, which are objects like blocks and other resources. Additionally, there will be location-specific story events. Players will also be able to build small versions of structures indoors - or wherever they want - before placing them elsewhere.
Now, the internet is abuzz with speculations about which country will be next. Many are wondering when Minecraft Earth will be coming to the US and point out that the sheer size of the country may be an obstacle in this.
Augmented reality seems to be taking the world by storm. After the incredible success of Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, more and more developers are following the trend. For example, Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs is now available and lets players sling the little birds into the pigs on their own desks, bar tables, or kitchen counters.