Minecraft, which launched 10 years ago for the PC, has sold more than 176 million copies, which possibly makes it the best-selling video game of all time.

Microsoft announced the milestone in an Xbox Wire post that celebrates Minecraft‘s 10th birthday. Despite being around for a decade, the game’s popularity remains strong, helped by its presence in practically all video game platforms available.

At more than 176 million copies sold, Minecraft may be the best-selling video game of all time. Tetris is considered its closest rival, but it is difficult to compare the two games due to the different versions of the block-matching puzzler.

According to Windows Central, past iterations of Tetris, not including the free-to-play versions, have sold 70 million copies, which was reported in 2009. Electronic Arts then said that the mobile version reached 100 million copies sold in 2010, before adopting a free-to-play model. There may be some overlap, but even if the two figures are combined, they will come up short to Minecraft‘s reported copies sold.

There are estimates that suggest Tetris has been downloaded more than 500 million times, but with the different spin-offs, it is hard to keep track and make a direct comparison with Minecraft. The better comparison would be the also still wildly popular Grand Theft Auto V, which has sold about 110 million copies after launching in 2013.

In celebration of the milestone, Microsoft also announced Minecraft Earth, a free-to-play augmented reality game for mobile phones that looks to bring the game’s mechanics into the real world. It looks to better utilize AR technology compared to Pokémon Go, while staying true to the world-building experience with the same Bedrock engine used in all other versions of the game.

Minecraft Earth will feature microtransactions, but details on that remain scarce. The developers claim that it will not be a pay-to-win game, but that is also unclear because there will be no player vs. player mode in the mobile game.

The closed beta for Minecraft Earth will launch this summer on both iOS and Android. Microsoft seemingly has more in store for Minecraft‘s 10th birthday though, so fans of the franchise should stay tuned.

“Minecraft” may be one of the best-selling video games of all time – with more than 154 million copies purchased to date – but the developers haven’t stopped building more into the game.

Acquired by Microsoft in 2014, developer Mojang has just launched Village & Pillage, a free update that adds a plethora of new goodies to “Minecraft,” for both the Java and Bedrock versions of game, which includes Windows PC ($26.95 and $26.99 for PC and Macintosh), mobile (iOS and Android, $6.99), Xbox One ($19.99) and Nintendo Switch ($29.99), and virtual reality platforms.

Before we get into what’s new and newsworthy in this new update, take in these additional facts about the world-renowned building simulation, released ten years ago this month: more people are playing “Minecraft” than ever before at about 91 million unique players every month (across all platforms); more than 160 million people have watched more than 5 billion hours of Minecraft video content on YouTube; and not only is “Minecraft” one of the best-selling games in history, but also one of the highest-rated, with the PC version netting a 93% average “metascore” at Metacritic.com.

Building better ‘Minecraft’ villages 

As the name suggests, villages have changed quite a bit and are among the highlights in this latest ‘Minecraft’ update.

Visually, villages will look different based on biome, or region – plains, desert, savannah, taiga, and so forth – therefore you can expect to see changes based on climate and local resources. In fact, villages are now generated differently, so the layout and architecture of the village will vary.

Villages are generated differently now in ‘Minecraft,’ and enjoy a new look and gameplay elements tied to each biome, or region. (Photo: Mojang/Microsoft)

Along with new building types, villagers also look more unique, with clothing that matches the biome they’re in, as well as their level and profession. With the latter, villagers now learn a trade when near a job site block, such as a Blacksmith, Librarian, Butcher, Cartographer and Shepherd, to name a few.

Villagers go about their business with a specific routine – from bed to work to socializing with others – and with better “pathfinding” artificial intelligence, too. 

There are other additions, too, such as Masons and Nitwit villagers, kids who play tag, and more. 

Prepare to fend off Pillagers 

Want to pick a fight? Even if you don’t, you might be forced to defend yourself from an angry mob in the “Minecraft” Village & Pillage update.

While not too bright, the crossbow-wielding pillagers will disrupt the villagers’ daily lives, by attacking them in small groups, at fortified outposts, and will plunder indiscriminately throughout the land. Unlike skeletons, these pillagers may not be smart enough to move out of the way of your return fire; their aim isn’t the best; and they’ll often hurt each other with friendly fire (and say “Ow!”).

What’s better than a bow? A crossbow, of course. This is the main new weapon found in the ‘Village & Pillage’ update for ‘Minecraft.’ (Photo: Mojang/Microsoft)

But what they lack in brains they make up for in tenacity. Pillagers will respawn in large outpost towers and swarm and destroy villagers in their path. So, keep a shield handy to minimize damage from an onslaught of arrows.

Once you clear them out, you can score some loot. Players who successfully defend a village from a raid will receive some fireworks and the Hero of the Village effect, which provides a deep discount on trades with villagers (see below). And if you take out a pillager captain – the ones with the banners on their backs – you’ll be rewarded with a triggered raid when you enter a village. 

Along with pillagers, there are other new mobs in this update, including chubby pandas, stray cats, Ravagers (a powerful new mob), and some other surprises.

Trading up in the ‘Minecraft’ update

As previously mentioned, there are new occupations in each village you visit, and that means new opportunities for trading.

When villagers make trades, they gain experience. Gain enough experience and they level up. Leveling up unlocks new trades. You get the idea.

Villagers now have a new visual-based trading system and will hold up an item they wish to trade if the player is holding something they want.

Also new is Wandering Traders, which are mysterious salesmen – flanked by a llama on each side of him – who deal items from several different biomes, often with rare materials, and offering up to six randomly generated trades. These special characters stay alive at night by drinking invisibility potions. And their loyal llamas spit at mobs if approached.

The latest ‘Minecraft’ update adds several new professionals to the game, including cartographer, librarian, butcher, and, shown here, the stone mason. (Photo: Mojang/Microsoft)

Bamboo, berries and bells 

There are dozens of other new features (and fixes) in the Village & Pillage update. Here are a few more worthy features:

•Like bamboo? Then you’ll love the update as there’s plenty of it in two new biomes: bamboo jungle and bamboo jungle hills. You can not only chop it down easily by hitting it with a sword, but also combine it with string to make scaffolding in building structures.

•Several new blocks now pop up, including a variety of slabs, stairs, and walls. New textures have been added to blocks, too, such as stained glass. And there are new job site blocks that assign trades to jobless villagers.

•As you might expect, crossbows offer many benefits over a regular bow: the weapon enjoys higher damage (and can pierce multiple enemies), plus it reloads faster, and can also shoot fireworks.

•Other additions include a bell you can ring to warn villagers of an impending attack or danger – so they run inside and hide; campfires, which serve as a light source or to cook meat; Sweet Berries, a new source of food found in taiga biomes; seven new Achievements including one for killing a pillager captain; and some accessibility features such as text to speech, which can now be enabled to read in-game chat.

Minecraft turns 10 this weekend and fans of the popular-blocky-game are celebrating this big milestone in various ways, like baking cakes in real life or sharing old stories and screenshots.

Last weekend, Minecraft developer Mojang released a new and free map to celebrate the big milestone. However, while that map was cool, it was also a bit early. This weekend (specifcally May 16th) is actually the official 10 year anniversary of the first release of Minecraft.Outstream Video

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In game, players discovered that when baking a cake on the special day, they found a big white “10″ stuck on top of it. A small detail from Mojang honoring the big day.

Beyond this small cake topping, fans across Reddit and Twitter have been sharing tons of videos, photos, builds and more in honor of a decade of Minecraft.

One fan shared a handwritten letter they received from Jeb, a lead developer on the game, from nearly 10 years ago. When he sent his letter and received a response, he was 9 years old and in 5th grade.

A Minecraft player and creator shared some new skins they made in honor of the celebrations. It shows the main default characters of Minecraft holding up cakes. The cake is actually the head and the shoulder is the top of the hands. A very clever design.

Another player showed off artwork they made celebrating the game’s 10-year anniversary.

Reddit user and Minecraft fan Muddy_Boy shared this amazing piece of art he created in-game. Each letter represents a major update the game received over the past 10 years.Reddit user Knight506 did something similar, but showed each up visually in a video.

A few players across Reddit and elsewhere shared images of some of their first builds or even their very first homes. Like Ryan-1- on the Minecraft subreddit, who shared a screenshot of their first dirt house.

This screenshot reminded me of my first dirt home.

I downloaded Minecraft and watched a short tutorial on how to play the game and jumped in. This was right near the release of the game and I scared of the night. The moment the sun started to slide down the sky, I panicked and dug out some dirt and made a small crappy home like this. After a few days of playing that first world, my small home was a castle. But in the middle of it all, was still my first home and chest.

JotaGHz shared a photo of their birthday cake, which is Minecraft themed as the player shares a birthday with the game.

Another player also shares a birthday with Minecraft and shared their cake on the Minecraft subreddit too.

If you want to see and read more memories of Minecraft from players all around the world you can check out the hashtag #MinecraftMemories on Twitter where players have been sharing stories and photos for the past week. The official Minecraft website rounded up some of their favorite tweets in a post.

What memories of Minecraft do you have? Do you remember the first time you built a home? The first time you joined a random server? The first skin you used? Share your memories and stories in the comments.

The first version of Minecraft appeared 10 years ago this Friday, which is a truly terrifying thought. Microsoft and Mojang are marking the occasion with, among other things, a fancy new map that’s free for all players to download. It’s a theme park and museum, put together by the builders at BlockWorks to take you on a trip through the game’s history.

Walking through static exhibits wouldn’t be very Minecraft, so this museum is interactive, complete with rides, puzzles and Easter eggs. It’s also absolutely huge. There are buildings dedicated to displaying every block and creature in the game, gargantuan architectural wonders, giant circuit boards, biodomes and a minecart ride through a decade of milestones. There’s a lot to see.

Mojang has teased some Easter eggs, though I confess I haven’t been looking too hard. I’ve just been wandering around aimlessly, nodding thoughtfully at pretty exhibits and snapping away. 

I haven’t played in years, but after popping in for a nostalgic saunter, I’ve found myself eager to stay. I’ve missed a lot of updates, but a quick browse on Reddit revealed plenty of impressive creations and sources of inspiration. I spent a whole year building a retro sci-fi ‘City of Tomorrow’ once and I’ve got the itch again.

A pair of big announcements are also coming on May 17, but all we know about them is that they’ll be better than huggable Creepers. What could possible be better than that?  

You can download the map for Java here and for Bedrock on the Minecraft Marketplace. There’s also an anniversary sale going on in the shop, reducing the base game by 50 percent and the top ten items by 10 percent. Minecraft merchandise has been discounted, too. 

Microsoft celebrates 10 years of Minecraft by making one of the earliest functional versions available to play online in the form of classic.minecraft.net.

Ten years of creating, exploring and surviving. Ten years of mobs, mods and magnificent creations. Ten years of being consistently amazed by what you’ve built with our game. Ten years of you digging straight down despite our warnings. Ten years of being endlessly excited to see what you come up with next.

In effect, it’s a simple but functional version of creative mode, and you can’t save your creations.

Can a video game reclaim centuries’ worth of lost cultural heritage in the Middle East? Microsoft’s Minecraft Education Edition is being used to do just that, in league with UNESCO and schools around the world.

History Blocks takes advantage of the educationally oriented Minecraft platform to build virtual versions of ancient monuments — starting with sites that were destroyed by the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, and by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The project was conceived and developed by Agencia Africa in Brazil, and put to its first test this February at Escola Bosque, a private school in São Paulo.

“It is surprising to see the level of the students’ engagement in the History Blocks project,” Escola Bosque’s pedagogical director, Silvia Scuracchio, said today in a news release. “At the same time that they solve complex geometry, logic and abstract challenges, it’s possible to see how they get involved with the culture and history behind the monuments and their destruction. For many of them, it was their first contact with concepts such as cultural destruction and ideology oppression.”

Students aged from 9 to 13 built up their models from historical images of the Temple of Bel, the Monastery of St. Elian and the entrance to the ancient city of Aleppo in Syria, as well as the Mausoleum of Imam Awn al-Din and the Al-Nuri Mosque in Iraq, and Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Buddhas.

Since February, the History Blocks project has been picked up by schools in more than 30 countries using the Minecraft Education Edition.

“Technology is a tool to transform education and bring to life methods that used to be unthinkable when it comes to teaching,” said Daniel Maia, manager for academic projects at Microsoft Brazil. “The project on UNESCO’s world heritage sites opens the door for students all over the world to study important monuments of our history.”

Minecraft and History Blocks are great teaching tools, but if you’re looking for high-fidelity models of heritage hotspots ranging from ancient Egyptian temples to Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, they’re covered by other software and survey programs.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites, a U.N. advisory panel also known as ICOMOS, is one of the leaders in the effort to document cultural sites. Over the past few years, ICOMOS’ Project Anqa (from the Arabic word for “phoenix”) has been conducting surveys of sites in Syria, starting with six representative buildings in Damascus. You can check out the virtual 3-D models online.

A historical conservation initiative called CyArk is playing a key role in 3-D documentation, for Project Anqa as well as dozens of other survey projects around the world. CyArk’s detailed digital scans feed into Google Arts and Sciences’ Open Heritage Project. For a powerful demonstration of the technology, check out CyArk’s scan of Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. (But make sure your computer is powerful enough for the task.)

Could virtual models provide enough information to rebuild lost monuments? Historians and architects certainly hope so: They’re banking on surveys of Notre Dame, including a monumental 3-D laser scan and photogrammetric surveyconducted several years ago under the leadership of the late art historian Andrew Tallon, to serve as a guide for the reconstruction ahead.

“Minecraft” creator Marcus “Notch” Persson, who sold the title to Microsoft for $2.5 billion in 2014, won’t be part of 10-year anniversary plans for the game because of his “comments and opinions,” Microsoft tells Variety.

“His comments and opinions do not reflect those of Microsoft or Mojang and are not representative of ‘Minecraft,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Variety.

The spokesperson also noted that Persson hasn’t been involved with “Minecraft” since he sold the studio and rights to the game in 2014. 

Persson, once an involved member of the video game development community, has increasingly ostracized himself with his Twitter comments, including transphobic statements and comments about a “heterosexual pride day,” and  that “it’s ok to be white.” Persson has about 3.7 million followers on Twitter.

An update to the game last month removed loading screen text on “Minecraft” that referenced Persson. Microsoft didn’t comment about the decision to remove the reference last month.

But speaking with Variety this week, a Microsoft official confirmed that Persson would not take part in a press event at Minecraft studio Mojang in Stockholm to celebrate the May 17. The event will look at the “past, present and exciting future of the decade-old franchise,” according to the company.

“Minecraft” is a seminal video game. With more than 91 million monthly players, the building and survival game is the second best-selling video game in history, behind “Tetris.”

“Minecraft” is available on all gaming platforms.

The Buddhas of Bamyan were two monumental statues carved into the side of a cliff in Bamyan Valley, central Afghanistan, during the 6th century. Though constructed directly from the sandstone itself, sculptors fashioned some of the more intricate details out of mud, straw, and carefully coated stucco. At 115 and 174 feet tall, they both stood as towering tributes to Buddha.

In March 2001, the Taliban destroyed both statues, reducing centuries of history and ancient expression—both artistic and religious—to rubble. It was a blow that will reverberate throughout the generations that will never get to experience its glory firsthand.

Many war-affected countries harbor similar stories of loss while younger generations miss out on not only the majesty but also the chance to truly place the deep cultural significance of these pillars. That is why the History Blocks project was launched in February.Minecraft | History Blocks

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With the support of the United Nations agency UNESCO, History Blocks allows students to collaboratively rebuild monuments that were destroyed during conflicts in the Middle East. The interactive program takes place within Microsoft’s Minecraft Education Edition platform. With the help of their teachers—and subjects like math, history, and government—students can “restore” notable landmarks like the Buddhas of Bamyan or the Temple of Bel within the legendary Minecraft world.

Developed by agency Africa in São Paulo, History Blocks is available to schools in over 30 countries. The team behind the project’s development hopes to expand to other nations, which would continue to close the gap between today’s generation and these relics.

“Unfortunately, many monuments have been destroyed by wars and conflicts … monuments which are a part of and tell our history,” said Sergio Gordilho, Africa’s Co-president and CCO. “Since we are unable to rebuild these monuments in the real world, at least we could make it so in the digital world.”

Running such a program under a name as widely recognizable as Minecraft further exemplifies the versatility of a video gaming industry that continues to battle a negative, violent perception. Lending a platform to such a pedagogic effort provides another inextricable link between video games and education.

“Technology is a tool to transform education and bring to life methods that used to be unthinkable when it comes to teaching,” said Daniel Maia, manager for academic projects at Microsoft Brazil. “The project on the UNESCO’s world heritage sites opens the door for students all over the world to study important monuments of our history.”

Microsoft has something big in store for Minecraft fans. The company used the start of Build 2019 to offer a teaser for an augmented reality Minecraftexperience for phones. The clip doesn’t say much about what the experience entails, although it’s safe to say you won’t be building entire virtual worlds in your neighborhood — the limitations of the real world will likely dictate what you can do.

The teaser promises more info on May 17th. This isn’t going to be as slick as the HoloLens take on Minecraft, but it might not have to be. If anything, this could be an introduction to AR for kids and other curious gamers who might otherwise be unfamiliar with the technology and what it can do.

Catch up on all the latest news from Build 2019 here!

Electronic Arts said today that the audience for The Sims 4 grew 35% in the past year.

In its earnings report, EA said that active players for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, grew 35%. That’s a testament to EA’s live operations for the PC and mobile versions of the game.

Back in October, EA said The Sims 4’s expansions have been downloaded more than 30 million times. The Sims 4 launched for PC in 2014, with the Xbox One version following in 2017. The base game has sold well beyond 10 million copies.

The Minecraft Marketplace is continuing to attract fan engagement. Players showed up to the store for 3,705,978 downloads in March. That’s up from 3.32 million in February, and it’s also up more than 10-fold year-over-year from 321,317 downloads in March 2018.

The downloads are coming from a lot of familiar pieces of content and concepts. Ongoing hits like Dragons and Luxury Life are once again on both the top 10 most downloaded and highest grossing lists. City-based maps are also still extremely popular.

Top 10 most downloaded

 2. Pet Shop

1. City Living — Noxcrew

“Cars, helicopters, private jets …. They’re all yours with Noxcrew’s City Living. Get the full lifestyle experience with luxury apartments, office buildings, and even drivable vehicles.”

2. Pet Shop — Pixelheads

“Welcome to Pet Shop. Choose between 17 lovely pets. Explore a town and earn coins by collecting poop or by catching stray animals. Play fetch with dogs, trim a poodle, or take a snake for a walk. Cats, hamsters, lizards, poodles, capuchin monkeys, snails, hedgehogs, snakes, German shepherds, parakeets, penguins, rats, piggies, ferrets, koalas, chameleons, and rottweilers.”

3. Dragons — InPvP

“Take one of six dragons to the skies and become a legendary dragon rider. Surprise your enemies with custom attacks. Shoot fireballs and drop TNT. Explore three huge castles and the beautiful custom landscape.”

4. Luxury Life — Pixelheads

“Luxury Life is a world where you role-play life as a billionaire. Cruise the streets in a sports car or any of the 10 other vehicles, explore luxurious mansions and decorate with furniture!”

5. Springtime — CubeCraft

“Spring is here! Dress up as a cute Easter bunny or choose from a variety of pastel coloured outfits. Show your friends you have the best style with one of our adorable onesies.”

6. Teens! HD — Pixel Squared

“Teens are back! We’ve revisited one of our favorite skin packs and re-created these teens in HD! Enjoy some of your favorite outfits again, but this time in even more detail! There are matching skins here for everyone, so grab your friends and adventure in style as any of these fashionable pairs.”

7. Steven Universe Mash-Up — Minecraft

“Steven enters the Minecraft universe in this Diamond-worth mash-up. Contains Steven Universe themed skins, textures, and original music from the show and all your favorite locations, from Beach City to Homeworld. Believe in Steven.”

8. Dinosaur Island — Pixelheads

“This once-idyllic island has been overrun by prehistoric beasts after the scientists lost control of their genetic experiments. Explore and discover the hidden mysteries of this intriguing island in a completely new adventure on Dinosaur Island.”

9. City Life — Pixelheads

“Cruise through the big city in City Life! Chase down a bandit in your police car, save the day as a firefighter or take your dog for a walk.”

10. City Mash-Up —  Everbloom Studios

“With over 1,000 hand-detailed rooms, there are stories, secrets, and mini-games around every corner. Build with the city’s full texture pack in your own worlds or take on any role you can imagine!”

Top 10 highest grossing

 2. Pet Shop

1. City Living — Noxcrew

“Cars, helicopters, private jets …. They’re all yours with Noxcrew’s City Living. Get the full lifestyle experience with luxury apartments, office buildings, and even drivable vehicles.”

2. Pet Shop — Pixelheads

“Welcome to Pet Shop. Choose between 17 lovely pets. Explore a town and earn coins by collecting poop or by catching stray animals. Play fetch with dogs, trim a poodle, or take a snake for a walk. Cats, hamsters, lizards, poodles, capuchin monkeys, snails, hedgehogs, snakes, German shepherds, parakeets, penguins, rats, piggies, ferrets, koalas, chameleons, and rottweilers.”

3. Dragons — InPvP

“Take one of six dragons to the skies and become a legendary dragon rider. Surprise your enemies with custom attacks. Shoot fireballs and drop TNT. Explore three huge castles and the beautiful custom landscape.”

4. Luxury Life — Pixelheads

“Luxury Life is a world where you role-play life as a billionaire. Cruise the streets in a sports car or any of the 10 other vehicles, explore luxurious mansions and decorate with furniture!”

5. City Mash-Up — Everbloom Studios

“With over 1,000 hand-detailed rooms, there are stories, secrets, and mini-games around every corner. Build with the city’s full texture pack in your own worlds or take on any role you can imagine!”

6. Steven Universe Mash-Up — Minecraft

“Steven enters the Minecraft universe in this Diamond-worth mash-up. Contains Steven Universe themed skins, textures, and original music from the show and all your favorite locations, from Beach City to Homeworld. Believe in Steven.”

7. The Nightmare Before Christmas — Minecraft

“A nightmare? Before Christmas? With thousands of blocks over there and more redstone than I can bear? Looks scary, but also fun! Could it be I got my wish? Should I play, or should I run? A Christmas pack so nightmarish!”

8. Dinosaur Island — Pixelheads

“This once-idyllic island has been overrun by prehistoric beasts after the scientists lost control of their genetic experiments. Explore and discover the hidden mysteries of this intriguing island in a completely new adventure on Dinosaur Island.”

9. City Life — Pixelheads

“Cruise through the big city in City Life! Chase down a bandit in your police car, save the day as a firefighter or take your dog for a walk.”

10. Advanced Farming — Gamemode One

“Farm your heart out with new machines, vehicles, animals, pets, vendors, characters, and lands to explore.”

The oddest cameo in Avengers: Endgame isn’t from Stan Lee or co-director Joe Russo. The cameo by Fortnite, the popular online battle royale game, is the one with the biggest ramifications for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And that’s because it raises an awkward question: does Fortnite’s Thanos mode also exist in the Avengers universe? And if so, what does that mode look like in a post-Snap world?

The limited-time Thanos game mode shook up the traditional Fortnite formula, forcing players to team up to fight against the super-powered, Infinity Gauntlet-wielding Mad Titan. Yes, Fortnite’s Thanos mode, and the subsequent Avengers: Endgame mode that succeeded it this year, are marketing tools for our universe’s Avengers movies, which probably don’t exist in the Marvel world, unless there are some very, very dedicated documentarians out there.

But we do know from Infinity War that Avengers-branded tie in products exist: in Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Strange and Wong reference Stark Raving Hazelnuts and Hunka-Hulk-a Burning Fudge flavors of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, implying that this kind of licensed tie-in is fairly commonplace in the Marvel world. And Spider-Man: Homecominghas shown that these heroes are essentially celebrities, so the possibility of an Avengers video game tie in is at least within the realm of possibility.

Still, we need to address the logistics of how Fortnite exists in a post-Snap world, let alone how it’s still so popular five years after the Snap (so in 2023, six years after it launched in our world) that Thor and Korg can matchmake with opponents easily, despite connecting from the extremely rural town of News Asgard / Tønsberg, Norway.

After the Snap, we’re told that the world plunged into chaos for a time: governments, armed forces, doctors, first responders, and so forth have all been halved. But that may explain Fortnite’s ongoing popularity: even after the world returns to something resembling equilibrium, the number of video game developers, producers, directors, marketing teams, etc. would also have been halved. Worldwide chaos and internal company chaos would have both dramatically slowed down new releases. Halving the player base also means fewer potential sales, which would hurt the bottom line for gaming companies as well — giving them every reason to lean hard on expanding existing popular products instead of focusing on new ones.

So updating and maintaining servers for a free-to-play game like Fortnite would be a viable long-term plan to keep the lights on at a game studio. The entire video gaming world likely saw a condensing post-Snap, but that reduced player base would also explain why Korg apparently keeps running into the same annoying “Noobmaster69” opponent, which is unlikely in our world’s version of the game, given the larger player pool and the random matchmaking system.IN A POST-SNAP WORLD, FORTNITE STILL SURVIVES

But does the average person even know Thanos exists? For those who weren’t on the battlefield in Wakanda with the Avengers, it would have been tough to immediately know what caused the Snap, and “genocidal purple space tyrant” probably wasn’t on most people’s list. Still, in Endgame, both Captain America and Ronin reference Thanos to non-Avengers — Cap at his support group, and Ronin when hunting down gangsters in Japan — so it seems the heroes have shared the news about him with the general populace.

But still, would there be a Thanos mode in the MCU version of Fortnite? It’s hard to see Epic Games developing one, given that Thanos is the worst mass murderer ever to exist within the Avengers’ world, and putting him in a video game as a playable character whose sole goal is to wipe out everyone else on the map would no doubt be the height of cultural insensitivity. (Plus, they would have had to develop it post-Snap.)

Then again, video game studios aren’t always known for making the best decisions, and it’s possible that a Thanos mode could still exist in the MCU’s Fortnite — but likely in a very different style. While our universe’s Thanos gamemode is almost comically distasteful in an MCU context, it’s possible that a more cathartic mode — for instance, where players could work together to exact some sort of fantastical revenge on the universe’s greatest villain — could exist at some point. In the same way own modern games — like the Call of Duty series, which have made an artform of cashing in on human tragedies like World War II — draw on real-world atrocities for video game plots.

Still, if there was a Thanos mode in the MCU, Korg probably wouldn’t play it in Endgame. At least not while Thor’s around, given howsensitive Thor is about hearing the Mad Titan’s name. Then again, that’s what headsets are for.

Starting today, you can play the original Minecraft — complete with bugs — in your web browser. To celebrate the iconic game’s impending 10th anniversary, developer Mojang released “Minecraft Classic,” which preserves the game as it was in 2009. That includes a much more spartan interface, an extremely limited 32 blocks to build with, as well as all of the bugs and technical issues that were present at the time. “Minecraft 2009 is even more glorious than we remembered!” Mojang’s Tom Stone wrote in the announcement post. It’s certainly a far cry from the current iteration of the game, as well as future plans like moving into augmented reality, so don’t go in expecting things like survival mode.

You can check out Minecraft Classic right here. (
https://classic.minecraft.net/?join=HE0iEWau132p1GIw )

Microsoft Corp. showed a video hinting that its popular Minecraft video game will soon add augmented-reality features, saying more information will come on May 17.

The clip, screened at the software maker’s Build developer conference Monday in Seattle, showed a user leaving a mobile phone on a bench and another person picking it up and using it to view a 3-D Minecraft hologram. May 17 is the 10th anniversary of the original release of Minecraft, a cult-favorite game that lets players build virtual worlds. The company showed the video to close Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella’s keynote speech.

Mobile augmented-reality games, which overlay digital elements on real-world scenes using a phone’s camera, surged to popularity following the 2016 debut of Niantic Inc.’s Pokemon Go.

Are you ready for a creeper to blow up in your neighborhood?

That’s exactly what Microsoft is promising with its new tease for “Minecraft” as a “Pokémon Go”-like augmented reality game.

In a short teaser shared on Microsoft’s Twitter account on Monday, an Android phone is used to demonstrate how someone might interact with “Minecraft” as an AR application:

The characteristic inventory menu from “Minecraft” sits along the bottom of the screen, but the rest of the screen is consumed by the world of “Minecraft.”A very pixelated pig marches around in mud, and a few of the game’s villagers show up to take a look.

There’s little else to know at the moment, but it sounds like we’ll hear more soon — a May 17 reveal is scheduled, right in time for the 10th anniversary of the game.

Check out the full teaser right here:

Microsoft had plenty of software reveals at Build 2019 on Monday, and hinted at gaming news. During the event, Microsoft released a teaser video of a new augmented reality (AR) Minecraft mobile game similar to Pokemon Go and Harry Potter Wizards Unite. There was no official name for the game, but there was a date of May 17 for the reveal. 

May 17 is an important date for Minecraft. Developer Mojang and Microsoft will hold a press event in Stockholm on the day to celebrate the game’s 10-year anniversary.

AR games reached new heights when Pokemon Go was released in 2016 and became the fastest iTunes app to reach $1 billion at the time. It spawned several similar games including Ghostbusters World, Jurassic Park World Alive and the soon-to-be-released Harry Potter Wizards Unite. 

Microsoft didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Originally published on May 6, 10:42 a.m. PT. 
Update, 12:45 a.m. PT: Adds background info on event and AR games. 

Microsoft has started to tease what appears to be a new Minecraft game for mobile devices. The software giant used a video at the end of the company’s Build 2019 keynote today to show Minecraft in augmented reality, running on a phone. In the video, Minecraft creative director Saxs Persson leaves his phone on a bench outside the Washington State Convention Center where Microsoft’s Build developer conference is being held. A passerby picks it up and is able to see Minecraft running in AR, suggesting that Microsoft is preparing a new game.

It’s not clear what this Minecraft game will be, but it could be a killer app for augmented reality. We’ve not seen many apps or games since Pokémon Go that have demonstrated the potential for augmented reality, and Pokémon Go has been downloaded more than 500 million times.

Microsoft isn’t commenting further about any plans for Minecraft AR. The teaser also notes that more information will be coming on May 17th, the 10-year anniversary of Minecraft. Microsoft has previously shown Minecraft running on the HoloLens headset, but that was simply a tech demo rather than a new game. Microsoft’s teaser feels like something bigger, especially as it’s clearly tied to 10 years of Minecraft. We should learn a lot more on May 17th.

The Minecraft studio added another zero to last month’s $10K donation to charity: water.

It wasn’t the smoothest weekend ever for Minecraft studio Mojang, which rolled out the largest update in the game’s history and very shortly thereafter discovered that it had turned the game’s AI-controlled villagers into hyperactive, hyper-horny, and completely out-of-control jerks. But there’s a spot of good news amidst all of that, too. 

In March, Mojang donated $10,000 to charity: water, a non-profit organization that works to make safe drinking water accessible in developing countries. Last week, it pledged to bounce that donation to $100,000, once a new map and skin pack called The Travelling Trader had been downloaded 100,000 times.   

“663 million people currently lack access to clean water (that’s almost 1 in 10 people), which makes the great work of charity: water absolutely essential. They want to bring clean water to as many people as possible, and we want to help them more,” Mojang wrote. “Charity: water estimates that the number of people impacted by a $100,000 donation is over 3,300. So all you have to do is download a great map and skin pack, and you’ll help us help a fantastic cause!”   

The pack was made by “excellent content creators” Jigarbov Productions, and it’s free, which made achieving the goal almost inevitable. Even so, the quickness with which it happened is pretty impressive: 

Minecraft✔@Minecraft

You guys are just amazing! It didn’t even take you one day to make ‘The Travelling Trader’ reach 100,000 downloads. As promised, we will donate $90,000 to @charitywater. Great work everybody!2,3981:32 PM – Apr 27, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy254 people are talking about this

Microsoft announced today that it will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of Minecraft’s release in May. Original creator Marcus “Notch” Persson will not be taking part.

Recently introduced to Minecraft is the new Village and Pillage add-on, bringing a new wave of aspirations to the villager NPCs and prompting them to develop their day-to-day activities. In fact, it might have worked too well, because now the locals are working, sleeping, and—quite disturbingly—breeding inside player homes.

Have they no shame?
Numerous reports of nosy neighbors have appeared on Reddit since the update launched, spanning a wide variety of complaints. As reported by Kotaku, players have come home to find the villagers sleeping in their beds, small children jumping on said beds, stealing crops, and breeding wherever they please. There have even been reports of villager heads popping off while they sleep. No matter where your home is located, place it close enough to a village, and they will most certainly stop by. Fortunately, their interactions are always peaceful at the least. 

But have no fear; if you’ve recently come across these pesky villagers invading your home, the community has already responded with a few solutions. One Twitter user discovered an easy fix with a fishing rod, pulling any unwanted NPC out of your bed. And others have reported that the villagers aren’t too good with stairs or gates, giving you a few options to protect your home. But perhaps the most important thing on the list is to simply have enough beds and workstations in the village for everyone. This should keep your neighbors well away from your house in the future, as they’ll have plenty to keep occupied. 

As of now, there has yet to be an official statement on the villagers. But we’ll get back to you on any potential fixes in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the not-so-peaceful interaction of the once tranquil NPCs.

After being added to Xbox Game Pass, Minecraft fans have more to shout about this month as the game has received it’s long awaiting “Village and Pillage” update.

Version 1.14 brings with it a host of new features and animals, including adorable panda’s (and bamboo to accompany them), cartography, pillagers and crossbows. The pillagers have different professions, so expect to see butchers, shepherds and clerics inhabiting the world the next time you load into the game.

As well as the above we have fletching tables, a composter, foxes, junction blocks and ravagers, which are giant armoured bulls. As someone who hasn’t played Minecraft in a while, I’m fairly confused too, dear reader.
Players can also find wandering traders who travel across the landscape with a llama in tow, selling their wares. It all sounds a bit Breath of the Wild to me, which can only be a good thing for Minecraft fans looking for a more gritty adventure.

One of the more important sections of the patch notes makes light of the fact that baby pandas can sneeze and startle their guardians, and the new endangered mob have personalities, and can be “lazy, playful, worried or aggressive.” It’s nice to see some extra accessibility features available too, including a UI screen reader and a text-to-speech system.

You can read the entire changelog for yourself on Minecraft.net, where Mojang provides further detail on all of the fixes and features to expect when you next launch Minecraft on your platform of choice.