Minecraft Earth was revealed in early 2019 and some of the first games were shown at WWDC 2019 before launching in November of that year. The idea was very good, bringing the collaborative and creative Minecraft game to the real world with AR, but the reality of 2020 and the pandemic forced the game to end.
Minecraft shared the news on its blog today (it seems to have been canceled for now) that Minecraft Earth will end on June 30, 2021 with the main reason being COVID-19 and how it changed life:
Minecraft Earth was 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 a latest update being released today and users can play until June 30:
That said, we still have an update left. Today we are releasing the final build of the game, containing some changes to make your time in Minecraft Earth as fun as possible. We hope that these adjustments will allow you to explore, create and build more – while remaining safe indoors. Starting with today’s update, we are:
* Removing real money transactions
* Dramatically reducing ruby costs
* Including all completed and not currently released content in our pipeline
* Reducing time requirements for casting and casting
* Replacement of unused fabrication and casting reinforcements with radius reinforcements of the same level
* Awarding a set of Character Creator items to players who log in between January 5 and June 30
As for Minecraft Earth purchases, here’s what to expect with the shutdown:
All players with paid ruby balances will receive Minecoins, which you can use at Minecraft Marketplace to purchase skin and texture packs, maps and even mini-games. Also, if you have already made a purchase on Minecraft Earth, you will receive a free copy of Minecraft (the Bedrock version) to start from scratch while picking up some goodies from the Marketplace!
The Minecraft team ended by thanking everyone who played and created:
That said, we would like to thank all players and creators who are bringing new adventures, mobs and free in-game items for the community to enjoy as we finalize our timeline for ending the game. Your comments and creations have taken this game to a whole new level, from the regular construction challenges that you absolutely destroyed to the incredible buildings you shared on social media. We are forever grateful for the incredible talent of the Minecraft community. This was not an easy decision, and we are doing everything possible to ensure that you get the most out of Minecraft Earth before sunset.
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