AR game ‘Minecraft Earth’ is shutting down

Microsoft Corp. has announced that Minecraft Earth, an augmented reality (AR) game based on the original building-block game, will shut down in June 2021.

According to Microsoft’s statement posted Tuesday, the decision was made in light of the pandemic.

“Minecraft Earth was designed around free movement and collaborative play – two things that have become near impossible in the current global situation,” the company said.

“As a result, we have made the difficult decision to re-allocate our resources to other areas that provide value to the Minecraft community and to end support for Minecraft Earth in June 2021,” it added.

For those who don’t know, “Minecraft Earth” uses mobile devices to overlay Minecraft building blocks, creatures and monsters onto real-world landmarks and objects, which requires players to walk around outside.

As the AR game is coming to an end, Microsoft released one remaining update aimed to encourage players to stay indoors amid the pandemic.

The update also removes real-money transactions, drastically remove in-game currency costs, reduce time requirements for all crafting and smelting, and more.

“Today we are releasing the final build of the game, containing some changes to make your time in Minecraft Earth as fun as possible,” Microsoft said.

“We hope these adjustments will allow you to explore, craft, and build more – while staying safe indoors,” she added.

The shut down of “Minecraft Earth” will begin June 30.

This means users will no longer be able to download or play the game after this date.

Microsoft said it will be deleting any “Minecraft Earth player data unrelated to Character Creator and Minecoin entitlement.

Microsoft also informed players that those with paid ruby balances will be granted Minecoins, which they can use on the Minecraft Market place to purchase skin, texture packs, mspd and minigames.

Players who made purchases in the Minecraft Game are also expected to receive a free copy of Minecraft (Bedrock version) “so you can get a fresh start while grabbing some goodies from the market place.

Finally, Microsoft thanked “Minecraft Earth” fans for supporting the game during its run.

“We want to take a moment to thank all of the players and creators that are bringing new adventures, mobs, and free in-game items for the community to enjoy while we finalize our timeline for sunsetting the game,” the statement said.

“We’re eternally grateful for the amazing talent in the Minecraft community. This was not an easy decision, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure you get the most out of Minecraft Earth before it sunsets,” it added.

— Margaret Claire Layug/LA, GMA News