Can’t get enough Minecraft? You’re in luck! Ahead of Emerald City Comic Con 2019, Newsweek can exclusively reveal that Dark Horse, Mojang AB and Microsoft have teamed up for a new comic anthology set in the world of the smash-hit sandbox game. Minecraft: Stories from the Overworld is set to go on sale October 15.
Here’s the official lowdown, straight from the (Dark) Horse’s mouth:
“With tales of Witch and Pillager rivals finding common ground, a heartless griefer who bit off more than they could chew, and valiant heroes new (or not!) to the Overworld, Minecraft: Stories from the Overworld tells tales that span the world of the beloved game. Featuring stories from star writers Hope Larson (Batgirl), Kevin Panetta (Zodiac Starforce, Bloom), Rafer Roberts (Modern Fantasy, Grumble), and Ryan North (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) and exciting artists Meredith Gran (Octopus Pie), Jenn St-Onge (Nancy Drew), Stephen McCranie (Space Boy) and more, this collection brings together stories from all Realms, leaving no block unturned!”
The 88-page anthology is available to pre-order now from Amazon, TFAW, Barnes & Noble and your friendly neighborhood comic shop. Check out an exclusive first look at the cover, featuring art by Cyarin, below:
‘Minecraft: Stories from the Overworld' tells tales that span the world of the beloved game. The anthology hits stores October 15. Cover art by Cyarin.DARK HORSERELATED STORIES
But Minecraft fans can visit the Overworld well before October. Dark Horse, Mojang AB and Microsoft will also release a Free Comic Book Day offering with a Minecraft story on May 4. Just a month later, on June 4, Minecraft Volume One will hit comic store shelves. The series follows the story of Tyler, a kid who grows closer to Minecraft buddies when he’s suddenly uprooted from his hometown. Together, the gang embark on the Ultimate Quest: a journey to the End, where they’ll take on the Ender Dragon.
Dark Horse first announced its multi-project partnership with Mojang AB and Microsoft back in September 2018.
Don’t want to wait another second for more Minecraft goodness? In case you’d forgotten, the game is available on virtually every gaming device imaginable: Mac OS, Windows, Linux, Windows Phone, iOS, Android, Amazon Kindle Fire, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, New Nintendo 3DS, Apple TV, Oculus Rift, Windows MR and Gear VR. As of last October, the game has sold more than 154 million copies, according to Statista.
The most recent installment of Inside Xbox revealed some of the most glorious news Halo fans have been waiting for – The Master Chief Collection is coming to PC. While we don't know exactly when the collection will be making its way to the platform, we do know a few other details, including the fact that it will also be available on Steam. According to Valve founder Gabe Newell, however, the credit should go entirely to Xboss Phil Spencer and the Microsoft team, who are apparently responsible for making Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Steam happen.
Newell has been up chipping away at fan emails recently, one of which has seemingly possibly (but probably not really) confirmed a new Half-Life game. More on that here. The one we're here to talk about is from Reddit user ZagTheWag, who asked the Valve boss if it was a simple process of working with 343 Industries and Microsoft to get Halo on Steam. To this, Newell said, “The credit for this goes to Phil Spencer and his team at MS. They made it happen, so, yes, it was simple for us.”
Speaking to PC Gamer recently, Spencer noted that Microsoft is venturing more into the realm of PC gaming in 2019. “We know we have to move forward, informed by our past, with the unique wants, needs and challenges of the PC player at the center of decisions we make,” he said. “I know we've talked quite a bit over time about what we want to deliver for the player on PC, but at E3 this year, and throughout 2019, you'll begin to see where we’ve been investing to deliver across Store, services, in Windows and in great games. It's just the beginning.”
What better way to really kick that movement into gear than with the Master Chief himself? As stated above, it's unknown when The Master Chief Collection is set to arrive on Steam and the Microsoft Store, but when it does, it will be in installments. You can read more about that right here.
What do you think about this? If Phil Spencer was able to get Halo on Steam, could he work some magic on a possible Half-Life3? Sound off in the comment section below, or hit me up over on Twitter @anarkE7!
When one kimono design tried to get a little artsy with a vibrant green “mosaic” design, it accidentally became pretty much the best piece of Minecraft merch on the market. Now it just needs an Enderman in the background and a block of TNT, and this would legitimately be the best thing to hitMinecraftsince Minecraft. Even if it was accidental.
(Photo: 9Gag)
While I couldn't find the actual source of the kimono (yeah, I was tempted to buy it), I did see this while perusing 9gag for my daily dose of WTF. It's not just that it's pixelated either, it's the exact color match of the Creepers in Minecraft, and in the exact perfect design? Maybe it was an inside joke, or maybe I'm wrong and this wasn't a mosaic line (which is what several people over on the 9gag thread mentioned), but whatever the case may be, I'll take 10.
In other Minecraft news (in actual news), the beloved building game is officially making its way to the Xbox Game Pass on April 4th! With a rich community of entire worlds built by players, to just sitting back and building something solo with the serene sounds of the game, it's a great time for fans to get into the game if they haven't already. The best part? As part of the Xbox Game Pass, it's free for members of this subscription.
How the Xbox Game Pass works is that it allows players to enjoy unlimited access to over one hundred great Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles for only $9.99 per month, including fan-favorites like including exclusives like Halo, Gears of War, and Fable. With so many games to discover and download, your Xbox experience will never be the same:
Play games across multiple genres, from action/adventure and family favorites to shooters, sports, puzzle games, and more. And with new titles added every month, you’ll always have a wide selection of great games to choose from.
Download games directly to your console and play online or offline in full-fidelity, without any streaming or connectivity issues. Whether it’s a new story to immerse yourself in or an old journey you’re eager to revisit, experience your games as they were intended.
Love an Xbox One game and want to own it? Interested in an add-on or Season Pass for a title you’re playing in the Xbox Game Pass catalog? Save 20% on Xbox One game purchases and 10% on all related add-ons, but only while the base game is currently in the catalog. Xbox 360 games do not qualify for discounts.
Thoughts on the above kimono or Minecraft in general? Sound off in the comment section below, or hit me up over on Twitter @DirtyEffinHippy.
Members of Xbox's game subscription service can dive into the mega-popular sandbox game next month.
Microsoft debuted its Xbox Game Pass subscription service in 2017, allowing players to pay one monthly price ($9.99) for unlimited access to an ever-increasing number of games (ranging from family-friendly to mature). Xbox Game Pass can easily be described as Netflix, but for games, instead of television shows and movies.
New games are added to Xbox Game Pass on a regular basis, and April will see a huge title added to the catalog. Minecraft, the sandbox building game that became a phenomenon following its official launch in 2011, will be added to Xbox Game Pass on April 4.
Minecraft on Xbox Game Pass will have all of the same features players may be familiar with from playing the game on other platforms (including the standalone release on Xbox One). That is, players will have the freedom to explore a massive in-game world, and collect resources to construct whatever their imagination can think up.
The game will support cross-platform play, allowing players to interact with others across multiple platforms — everything from PC and Switch to mobile devices (with the exception of PlayStation 4). Players will also have access to the in-game store, called the Minecraft Marketplace, where they can spend real money to purchase extra in-game content.
Minecraft is the latest family-friendly game to be added to the Xbox Game Pass catalog. Pulling from the Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One game libraries, kid-friendly games like The Lego Movie Videogame and Disneyland Adventures are available alongside mature games for adults and parents to enjoy when the kids aren’t around (recent M-rated highlights include Just Cause 4 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider).
As part of March 12's Inside Xbox broadcast, Microsoft announced the next Xbox Game Pass title–and it is a very big one. Microsoft's open-ended sandbox game, Minecraft, will be added into the Xbox Game Pass library on Xbox One starting on April 4.
The game has 91 million monthly players, making it bigger than Fortnite, and one of Microsoft's biggest games ever. Launching on Xbox Game Pass means Minecraft will reach even more people, as anyone with an Xbox Game Pass subscription can play at no extra cost. Microsoft also mentioned that Minecraft's release into the Xbox Game Pass catalog expands the lineup of family-friendly games further.
Microsoft acquired the Minecraft franchise and developer Mojang in 2014 for $2.5 billion. The game is available on Microsoft's console and mobile platforms, as well as systems from competing companies like PlayStation and Nintendo.
While Microsoft has no plans to make Minecraft 2, the franchise expands in 2019 with a new game called Minecraft Dungeons, which doesn't have the franchise's trademark building mechanics. Outside of games, a Minecraft movie is in the works.
Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft's subscription service for Xbox One. For $10 USD/month, subscribers get access to a growing library of Xbox One games and backwards-compatible Xbox 360 titles. In addition to legacy titles, all of Microsoft's first-party exclusives are included with Xbox Game Pass, meaning members can get this year's Gears 5 and Halo Infinite whenever it comes out at no extra cost.
