The massively popular sandbox game Minecraft first released for PC back in November 2011 and it continues to grow, as Mojang announced that the world’s best-selling PC game has reached 30 million in sales.0

The last milestone shared for the PC version was back in January 2017 when it reached the 25 million milestone, so the game has sold roughly five million copies in the last two years. At last count in late 2018, over 154 million copies of the game has been sold across all platforms to make it the second best-selling video game of all time after Tetris.

It should be interesting to see how its sales continue in the coming years, and to see when it reaches the 35 million milestone. A live tracker of its total sales can be seen at the game’s official website.

Minecraft is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, and Android.
Read more stories about Android & iPhone & Minecraft & Nintendo Switch & PC & PlayStation 4 & Xbox One on Siliconera.
Read more at https://www.siliconera.com/2019/04/05/minecraft-continues-to-build-on-its-record-with-30-million-copies-sold-for-pc/#7cKY5SzpsxVQaveU.99

One year after smashing the world record for the largest convention dedicated to a single video game during its Los Angeles debut, “Minefaire: An Official Minecraft Community Event” is back.

The gaming event, which pops up Saturday, April 13 at the L.A. Convention Center through Sunday, April 14, plunges young super fans into this celebration of the virtual world where they make real-world connections.

The Builds Battle Stage pits kids against each other in a build competition before a live audience, with emcee and YouTube guest judges selecting their favorites. (Courtesy of Minefaire)

“For parents,” added Minefaire co-founder Chad Collins, “it’s a chance to breathe a sigh of relief. Your introspective children who express themselves through video games are not alone. At Minefaire, they not only belong – they thrive.”

A new VR building experience makes players do the heavy lifting.

Other highlights include a Minecraft Escape Room, costume contest, and Build Battles Stage in which kids compete against each other before a live audience. Meet-and-greets with stars of Minecraft gaming YouTube channels, a Learning Lab and a marketplace of new, rare and custom Minecraft merchandise you won’t find anywhere else round out the event.

All-inclusive tickets start at $39.99 and can be purchased at www.minefaire.com.

Minecraft has been updated to remove most of its references to original creator Markus “Notch” Persson from the main menu of the game, via Eurogamer.

The main menu of Minecraft has long been home to a series of rotating phrases of splash text on the top right-hand corner of the logo, which include hundreds of different jokes, catchphrases, and references. But the most recent update to the game has tellingly removed three splash text phrases from the game: “Made by Notch!,” “The Work of Notch!,” and “110813!” (the date that Persson got married).

A tweet from 4J Studios, which develops some of the console ports of Minecraft, previously confirmed that changes were being made to splash texts, but didn’t say which changes would be made:

4J Studios✔@4JStudios

A small update for Minecraft: Console Editions will be rolling out over the next few days to make some changes to splash text.7029:00 PM – Mar 19, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy221 people are talking about this

As Polygon notes, it’s the second largest batch of phrases to ever be removed from the game — only nine other splash text phrases have been removed from Minecraft during its nearly decade-long history.

Persson famously sold the entirety of Minecraft (along with his studio, Mojang) to Microsoft in 2014 for $2.5 billion, although Persson did not join Microsoft as part of the purchase. In the interim years, Microsoft has continued to grow Minecraft as a family-friendly brand, complete with a Minecraft: Education Edition for schools and the interactive Minecraft: Story Modegame (which has even made its way to Netflix as a quasi-kids show).

Persson, on the other hand, has become an increasingly polarizing figure, tweeting offensive statements regarding race, the LGBTQ community, gender, and other topics. Given the controversy surrounding Persson, coupled with the fact that he has no real involvement in the current affairs of the title, it’s easy to speculate that Microsoft would be looking to distance itself from Persson, especially given the massive young audience that Minecraft has and the cultural impact of the game. Persson is still listed in Minecraft in the game’s credits, although it’s a far less prominent placement than the main menu references that have now been removed.

Microsoft refused to comment when asked about the recent changes to Minecraft.

The PC version of Minecraft has sold over 30 million units since its 2009 launch.

A tracker on the Minecraft website has been keeping tabs on the number of sales and passed the milestone earlier today.

Across all platforms, Microsoft revealed last Octoberthat the game had sold over 154 million copies and was seeing 91 million monthly active users.

That number does not include 150 million downloads in China also as of October, where the game was published in August of 2017 by NetEase first on PC, and then on iOS and Android. In total, that puts the game at over 250 million users across all platforms worldwide.

For the record: A previous version of this article mistakenly read that Minecraft was published by Tencent in China. It is actually published by NetEase, as corrected above.

Minecraft is now ubiquitous. You can play it on consoles, on portables, on phones, and there was even an official port to Raspberry Pi. But the game started on PC in its Java-based original form. That Java Edition is still being sold, and today it reached a major new sales milestone: over 30 million copies sold.

Total Minecraft player count is well over 150 million, since that’s the number of people who had registered for the game’s free-to-play Chinese release as of last year – nevermind everyone who’s played other versions of the game. Total, full sales of the game are at least 154 million across all platforms, as Windows Central reported back in September.

Mojang keeps a ticker counting traditional PC sales on the official site, and it crossed the 30 million mark a few hours ago as of this post. A number of developers on the game had been closely tracking the counter’s progress toward the milestone on social media, and today’s rollover was a natural cause for celebration across the whole team.

While all the other releases have certainly expanded Minecraft’s reach, the Java Edition is still perhaps the most popular among the community, and certainly the one where you’ll find most of the best Minecraft mods.

If we keep seeing mods like the ray tracing-style effects of the Sonic Ether shader, then I don’t think there’s any limit to where things can go from here.

Related: Dig into the best sandbox games on PC

While PUBG sales might put a run on Minecraft’s claim of being the ‘the world’s best selling PC game,’ the venerable block-builder is certainly in rarified company.

Minecraft already has a sizeable fanbase, but now anyone with an Xbox Game Passsubscription can jump into the fray as well. The blocky builder joined Microsoft’s subscription service today, bringing another Microsoft Studios title under its banner.

The full game experience is here, meaning you can explore your own unique world and construct just about anything that strikes your fancy. You can also dive into multiplayer sessions, hailing the assistance of friends to take on any unruly creeps and help build your world out.

Minecraft has seen more than 91 million active players join in across nearly any platform you can think of since its launch in 2009. The game is also cross-play enabled, so you can jump in with friends who may be playing on other platforms like Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.

Minecraft✔@Minecraft

Minecraft is coming to Xbox Game Pass on April 4. Wait a second… it IS April 4! Download it today, and enjoy the cross-play with Nintendo Switch, Windows 10, Gear VR, iOS and Android.

↣ http://redsto.ne/minexgp  ↢3,16711:02 PM – Apr 4, 2019555 people are talking about thisTwitter Ads info and privacy

If you’re interested in checking out Xbox Game Pass, the service requires a subscription, which runs $10 per month. There are more than 100 games available to play through Game Pass, making it a bit like a Netflix for gamers. A subscription will also net you a discount for games in Xbox Game Pass if you decide you want to buy them outright.

The latest (and lightest) film offering from DC Comics’ extended universe has a particular advantage: it’s a kids’ film, starring kids. The central character, Billy Batson (Asher Angel), is 14; so is his smart-alec foster brother and “manager”, Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer). Billy is granted a tidy collection of magic powers by a wizard (a bewigged and bearded Djimon Hounsou), including strength, super-speed and fingertips filled with lightning. By shouting “Shazam!” he is transformed into an adult in a superhero suit (Zachary Levi, believably and likably hapless), so, like many 14-year-old boys, he uses his new identity to buy beer (which he promptly spits out), saunter into a strip club, and go viral on YouTube. The evil Dr Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) is after Billy’s powers, hell-bent on revenge after being told, as a child, by both his father and the wizard that he was weak.

There’s a sense of Stranger Things camaraderie among Billy and his foster siblings, who are actually fun to spend time with, and the film’s message of found family is a sweet one. Still, its overblown finale overstays its welcome, teeing up the team as mainstays in the inevitable sequel.

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Sonic Ether’s Unbelievable Shaders is a shaderpack that adds the kinds of effects we normally associate with ray-tracing— like light that’s able to bounce off other objects—to ol’ blocky-ass Minecraft, and do it while you’re playing in real-time.

It’s not technically ray-tracing (he’s actually using path-tracing), but the effects are still incredible. Here are some examples of it in action:

Outstream Video

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And here are some screens showing it off on some more traditional areas:

You can download what you need by pledging $10 over on Sonic Ether’s Patreon page. Just know that the effects here are software-based, so you’ll need a decent PC to get a good framerate.

Considering how strange the past couple of years have been, the premise of a star-studded music festival hosted entirely in the virtual worlds of Minecraft doesn’t sound even remotely far fetched. In fact, recent events and crossovers have led many to believe that video games are EDM’s next frontier. 

This weekend, Chandler Riggs is hosting Pixel Festival, a full-fledged music festival inside Minecraft. For those unfamiliar with Riggs, he is known for his portrayal of Carl Grimes in the massively popular TV show The Walking Dead as well as a current role on ABC’s A Million Little Things.

EDM.com was lucky enough to be able to speak to the multi-talented star and learn more about his endeavors in both music and technology, and where the two worlds meet.  

First things first, you may be wondering why a career actor is hosting his own music festival inside a video game. As some attentive dance music fans know, Riggs makes future bass under the name Eclipse and has released music on Steve Aoki‘s label. Riggs is also an avid gamer and said both gaming and music are his two favorite hobbies. 

After the success of Fire Festival, the last Minecraft festival Riggs was associated with, he decided he needed to get into the game (pun intended) and create the virtual festival of his dreams. With that vision in mind, he created url.events, his very own team dedicated to creating virtual music experiences.

Although he had tons of fun and is friends with the minds behind Fire Festival and Coalchella, his festivals seek “everyday people that go to [real life] music festivals.” When speaking more on who the general audience is he mentioned inclusion, saying, “…People that can’t go to these [real life] festivals can come to these events. It’s really cool to be behind something as inclusive as this.”

The idea of having a music festival experience for free at home is something many dance music fans can get behind. With transportation, lodging, tickets, food, and other expenses, going to a music festival is not something everyone can swing. Riggs went on to mention a problem that many of us have faced: Many of our favorite artists don’t play in our home countries as often as we’d like. 

“[Virtual festivals] are a way for people to go see their favorite artist if they live in a country where their artist doesn’t come to,” he told us. “It’s an awesome way for them to get that experience without having to physically be there.”  

Riggs understands that virtual festivals will never replace real life festivals – and he agrees that real life festivals are “life-changing” – but this is an opportunity for some people who can’t get out to festivals or who are new to electronic music can get their festival fix. 

With all that being said, enter Pixel Festival. 

Riggs certainly proved his dance music cred when he released the hand-picked lineup. He made it clear that he is a fan of each and every one of the acts he selected to take the virtual stage. 

Superstars like Virtual Riot, Flosstradamus, What So Not, Anna Lunoe, and many more are featured on the url.events inaugural festival alongside the eSports celebrity-turned EDM sensation, Ninja.

When asked about Ninja’s involvement Riggs stated: “I want all people that are related to gaming and music in any aspect to be able to be a part of this…He’s super excited for it, and we’re super excited for it. It’s going to be awesome”. 

Due to game limitations, Pixel Festival will not have live audio, however, they have created a clever way to give the artists control during their set.  Riggs described the process in detail:

“Since Minecraft doesn’t let us stream audio into the game, all of the sets are prerecorded. But, to kind of make up for that, we have a bunch of different ways that the artist can interact with the crowd on stage, aside from just typing in the chat. They can press buttons to activate fireworks, give different effects to the people in the crowd, for example, they’ll start floating, or there’s a cool fun surprise on one stage for what they can do to the crowd. It’s just another way for the artist to interact with the crowd to kind of make up for the prerecorded aspect of it.”

Half of any festival experience is the festival grounds. The one advantage a virtual festival has over real life is that there are no limitations to what you can do. Want to alter gravity and send attendees into the sky? Go for it. Want to make a giant castle stage with flying dragons in the sky? Why not. Anything is possible.

Riggs and his team of just four builders ran with that idea and created something truly insane. The festival grounds at Pixel Festival will feature everything from giant candy sculptures, to lava filled rivers, and even giant, dabbing unicorns. 

4GALLERY4 IMAGES

The very idea behind Pixel Festival aligns with the notion that EDM is conquering the video game world. Marshmello and Fortnite‘s massive collaboration showed the world that gamers are ready to let dance music into their lives, while events like Pixel Festival hope to take things even further and offer complete experiences with fewer restrictions.

When asked when we should expect new music or shows from Eclipse, Riggs said: 

“Hopefully soon. I’m looking at getting on a few shows in Europe. I’m hoping to get some of these because I’m still producing music every day and working on new stuff. I’m working on getting some vocals back for a few songs – and hopefully, I’m going to have a new release from Eclipse pretty soon.  

To see their hard work in action and listen to some sets inside the virtual madhouse, fans who own Minecraft can log onto their server April 6th and 7th from 6:00-11:00 PM PST to join in on the fun. 

THORPE Park opens its GameFX arena to the public, complete with Fortnite tournaments, retro gaming and special celebrity appearances.

Thorpe Park has opened up a brand new and limited time gaming area.

The first of four limited time events scheduled for 2019, GameFX is running from now until the end of May.

The GameFX area is an indoor space featuring a wide selection of new and classic consoles and games.

PS4 and Xbox One releases like Forza Horizon 4, Spyro Trilogy, Crash Bandicoot Trilogy, Minecraft, FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 are all playable in the arena.

That’s on top of retro games and consoles like the Sega Mega Drive, SNES, Dreamcast, Gamecube and PS2. 

Gaming fans looking to experience something a bit different can also try out a variety of virtual reality games.

One of the more popular titles to try is the excellent Richie’s Plank Experience, which sees users face their fear of heights atop a skyscraper.

Thorpe Park adds a new gaming attraction (Image: THORPE PARK)

Thorpe Park adds a new gaming attraction (Image: THORPE PARK)

“Join us over in the gaming arena for our brand new GameFX powered by HYPD!” reads a Thorpe Park post.

“Practice your eSports skills across multiple consoles and games, immerse yourself in nostalgia as you reignite your childhood in the retro gaming area and defy your senses and push yourself to the limit as you engage with the latest virtual reality tech.”

But it’s the eSports tournaments that are arguably the most appealing aspect of GameFX.

Fans of games like Fortnite, FIFA and Apex Legends will be able to compete in tournaments to win some swag.

Celebrity influencers are also scheduled to appear at GameFX over the course of its run.

Thorpe Park adds a new gaming attraction (Image: THORPE PARK)

GameFX will be followed by more limited time attractions, beginning with Jungle Escape in May.

The jungle-themed escape room tasks teams with solving puzzles and completing physical tasks in order to emerge victorious.

This will be followed by a 90m inflatable “BounceZilla” course from the end of May until September, before Fright Night returns for in time for Halloween.