Minecraft Earth is shutting down this summer
Heading to the big mobile phone in the sky
It's almost time to say goodbye to Minecraft Earth, because Mojang Studios are shutting it down for good on June 30th. It's not all doom and gloom, though. If you've spent money in the Pokémon Go-like sandbox app, you'll be able to grab some parting gifts before it heads to the big mobile phone in the sky. That is: some free money for the Minecraft Marketplace, and a free copy of Minecraft Bedrock edition.
"Minecraft Earth was designed around free movement and collaborative play – two things that have become near impossible in the current global situation," the devs say. "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."
The game received its final update yesterday, removing microtransactions and adding in all the currently finished but unreleased content for players to try out. They've also reduced the amount of time it takes to complete tasks like crafting, and reduced the prices of in-game items to make it a little easier to play.
Players who've spent real-life money on rubies, the game's premium currency, will receive Minecoins to spend in the Minecraft Marketplace (where you can buy player-made skins and adventures). Then, players who've spent any money on the app will be given a copy of Minecraft Bedrock edition for their mobile device - which is cool to have because Minecraft has cross-platform progression, so you could take your PC saves with you on the go.
Minecraft Earth came out towards the end of 2019, so it will have managed about a year and a half of life by the time it shuts down in June. Unfortunately, that year just so happened to be a bit of a rubbish one for a game that encourages going outside to meet your pals.
So, as of July 1st you'll no longer be able to download or play it, and Mojang will be deleting all Minecraft Earth player data. Have a look at the Minecraft Earth Sunset FAQ for more details.
For those of you trying out a bit of Minecraft Bedrock thanks to the freebie, here are some of the best Minecraft Bedrock seeds to explore.