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Who this is for: Former Minecraft Earth players and anyone curious about the game’s current availability.
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Minecraft Earth Has Been Discontinued
No, Minecraft Earth is no longer available to play. Microsoft officially shut down the augmented reality mobile game on June 30, 2021, after announcing the closure in January 2021.
Why Did Minecraft Earth Close?
The game’s closure was primarily attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, which made the core gameplay mechanics impractical. Since Minecraft Earth relied heavily on players exploring real-world locations and gathering in groups for collaborative building, the global health restrictions and social distancing measures severely limited the game’s appeal and functionality.
What Happened to Player Progress?
Before the shutdown, Mojang Studios took several steps to help players:
- Made all paid content free during the final months
- Reduced crafting and smelting times to help players complete projects faster
- Allowed players to download their creations and transfer some progress to regular Minecraft
- Provided refunds for recent purchases of Minecoins used in the game
Alternatives for AR Gaming Fans
While Minecraft Earth is gone, players looking for similar experiences can explore other location-based AR games like Pokémon GO, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (though this also closed in 2022), or Jurassic World Alive. For those who enjoyed the building aspects, the main Minecraft game continues to receive regular updates and offers endless creative possibilities.
The legacy of Minecraft Earth lives on through the lessons learned about AR gaming and the creative builds that players managed to save before the shutdown. If you’re looking to scratch that Minecraft itch with browser-based alternatives, there are plenty of options to explore.
TL;DR
Minecraft Earth was permanently shut down on June 30, 2021, due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions that made its location-based AR gameplay impractical.
