Gamers have painstakingly rebuilt London in the virtual world of Minecraft.

Minecraft is what is known as a sandbox video game and allows players to build with a variety of different cubes in a 3D world.

Using virtual building blocks, real life blueprints and photos gamers from around the world have recreated some of London’s most iconic landmarks.

Video Journalist: Jamie Moreland.

What’s the point of buying a brand new gaming console without any games to play? In our opinion, console bundles are the way to go — and the best bang for your buck. More often than not, gaming console bundles come along with some of the hottest titles on the market, so it’s always a good idea to keep a keen eye out for these deals. As a matter of fact, we found a really great bundle just for you. 

This Xbox One S bundle is a great starting point for those just jumping in, and it comes with the cult-favorite Minecraft as well as a bonus game of your choice (from the three that Walmart is currently offering). For a total of $248.89 and $60 in savings, you’re truly getting your money’s worth from this kit.  

Coming with a hefty 1TB of storage, the Xbox One S can support games and stream entertainment in glorious 4K resolution and HDR. With a library containing upwards of 1,300 games from the current and last generation, you’ll never run out of things to play on your system. Not only do you get one of the best consoles on the market in this bundle, but you also get the opportunity to experience some of today’s most popular titles in gaming. 

Included with the base bundle is Minecraft, a cult-favorite sandbox game that allows players to build anything their minds can conjure up with 3D blocks in a procedurally generated world. In addition to Minecraft, those who purchase the bundle will also get to choose a bonus game from a list of three titles: Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Anthem, or Kingdom Hearts 3. 

The Division 2 will see you taking back a post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. from the corrupted powers that be, Anthem will put players in the shoes of high-powered Freelancers and their Javelin exosuits to bring balance to a world of diverse threats, and Kingdom Hearts 3 will take players on a thrilling Disney-themed adventure through the long awaited third installment in this cult-classic series. 

There’s plenty of variety here for all types of gamers — the choice is totally yours. Check out the Xbox One S 1TB Minecraft Bundle with your choice of a bonus game for $60 off at Walmart.  

Changing the world Block-by-Block

Here at Destructoid, we routinely host contests for various gaming prizes. Things like free copies of upcoming games to plush penises from Devolver Digital: Dtoid has given back to the community in small ways over the years. Those giveaways have brought some of you closer to us, for which I will always be grateful, but I was completely blown away by the story of one of our contest winners.

In November of last year, Mark Barnes Jr. entered our contest for some Pokémon-themed gear. After becoming the lucky winner, he got in touch with Wes about where to send the goodies and Wes noticed something quite peculiar. In the e-mail signature, Mark’s job description curiously read “Minecraft Consultant, UN-Habitat.” What in the world was that about?

Wes got a quick explanation about the project and passed the info onto us. Here was a guy using video games in a way that was actively helping the world out. This was an incredible story that needed to be told to a larger audience. Finding Mark’s tale fascinating, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to speak with him about the work he’s done with Mojang’s monster of a title.

First, some background. Mark Barnes Jr. was born in Tennessee in 1982. When he was two years old, his parents became Christian missionaries and moved his family to Papua New Guinea. His family was housed in a small compound smack in the middle of a mountain valley surrounded by rain forests. Along with Mark’s family, around 400 others were stationed at the compound, all filling in various roles for missionary work.

Mark’s parents were teachers at the local school there, which Mark told me was a weird way to grow up. For him, the best aspect was having many friends from different backgrounds that all had the freedom to be outside and go where they want. Some of Mark’s friends came from Australia, England, Ireland, India, South America, Belgium, and New Zealand. Due to the school being small, everyone knew each other and was relatively close-knit.

Living at a missionary compound, Mark’s childhood was rarely boring. At five years old, he got to watch a tribal battle commence across a ravine from the base. When the police had come to break up that fight and deployed tear gas, it actually blew into the compound and gassed the entire place. Mark recalls other bizarre things that happened to him, but states, “When I try to explain them to other people, they’re utterly baffled.” For him, it was normal – that was all he had ever known.

Having lived at that compound until he graduated high school, Mark was surrounded by people who wanted to help the outside world. This fueled his desire to find a career that would allow him to do the same. As he puts it, “I was brought up by people who took their toddler and baby to the other side of the globe to help people.” His mother’s parents did the exact same thing. To him, the only course of action was to enter a field that would let him give back to others.

To that end, Mark became a teacher. His Minecraft consulting days weren’t something he originally envisioned happening. For the most part, he had entered teaching to let others excel in the world. “I feel really good,” Mark states, “when I give people the tools they need to succeed at something. To me, that’s always been more motivating than a financial reward.” It was a chance opportunity that his friend introduced Mark to a role which would get him involved with Minecraft.

While studying for her master’s degree in urban planning, Mark’s friend brought his attention to a position at the United Nations related to her field. It was titled the Block-by-Block Program. This program involved a branch of the UN that focused on using models constructed in Minecraft to improve living conditions for people around the world. Their core focus was dealing with concerns around housing, access to drinking water, security, sanitation, and other problems plaguing impoverished countries. Since Mark had been a big fan of Minecraft since around 2008, his friend urged him to apply.

The Block-by-Block Program began in 2012 with the goal of integrating Minecraft into the public space to get community members more involved. With Minecraft‘s ease of use, members of communities that were often ignored would be able to have their voices heard with regards to public reformation. It was also a cost-effective way to visualize changes in a three-dimensional space and allowed for rapid sharing of ideas. It’s far easier to build and destroy something in Minecraft than real life.

The initial job was situated in The Solomon Islands, which was a perfect fit for Mark. Since he had grown up not far from there, it was only natural that Mark would be inclined to put his name in. Despite not thinking he had a chance, Mark was accepted for the job and would soon begin his life of helping people through Minecraft.

Mark came into the program in 2014 as a consultant. For each job, his task would begin after a project was planned out and initiated. The UN-Habitat would send him and an urban planner to different communities and begin teaching the inhabitants how to play Minecraft. Mark would also give some feedback about the various models they were making while the workshop was underway. After the workshops were finished, Mark would generate a final model of the town and write out a report explaining the outcome so that architects and urban planners could draw out blueprints. From there, these blueprints were then used to construct actual buildings, a bit that blows Mark’s mind.

As Mark told me, “Because Minecraft is so easy to learn, even people who have never used a computer can complete a model in just a few days. It levels the playing field and allows everyone to have a part in the design process without being talked over or ignored.” One of the biggest concerns for various reconstruction efforts is getting feedback from women and children at a public forum. Various communities discourage them from voicing their opinions, but Block-by-Block allows these people to be heard without getting ignored or talked over.

Over the course of the last four years, Mark has conducted workshops in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and the Solomon Islands. Mark recounted a particularly powerful moment that happened during his visit to Bangladesh. “I saw an older lady who had never used a computer in her life learn to play Minecraft. I hope I never forget the look on her face – joy, amazement, and pride all at once.” As he said, that is an accurate description of how it made him feel.

Another story he shared with me from Bangladesh was about a group of individuals from the slums. These were people that had virtually nothing to call their own. One man even had a leg injury and needed a cane just to walk. Each individual showed up on time every day to collaborate at the workshop and improve their community. “That’s powerful,” Mark said, “and it’s really inspiring to watch and help in whatever small way I can.”

When traveling to other countries, Mark tries to learn basic phrases so he can communicate better. He typically starts with thank you in an effort to congratulate these people for making the effort. During his trip to Bangladesh, Mark’s workshop partner explained that in Bangladeshi culture, it’s not customary for people to express gratitude unless someone does something incredibly important to them. At the end of each workshop, the various participants would approach Mark to shake his hand and thank him. As Mark told me, “I was fighting back tears the whole time.”

As well as being overwhelmed from how thankful these citizens were, Mark could be conjuring up his past experiences with video games. As any kid of the ’90s will tell you, growing up playing video games usually resulted in someone shouting “They’ll rot your brain,” or, “You’re wasting your time!” It’s even hard not to think that with modern titles, some of which seem positioned to drain your wallet more than stimulate any part of your brain. “Growing up, I always felt this twinge of guilt over how much I loved video games,” Mark told me.

When finishing off his English degree and starting work as a teacher, Mark began to see the power that this medium holds. “I started to realize that games had a lot of power for education and communication. Games are incredibly powerful tools, and I think that those of us who love games understand that on a fundamental level.” Seeing Minecraft shape and improve communities around the world hammered that notion home for Mark. Taking that 3D, abstract model and bringing it to life is something that, as Mark puts it, “is indescribably cool.”

While the Block-by-Block Program is unlikely to shift away from Minecraft and use other games, Mark has seen other instances where gaming has had an impact on real-world cities. “One guy I talked to works for a youth climate change activism group,” Mark explains, “and they use SimCity to model local pollution and get kids to look for ways to solve pollution problems. Gamers are creative people and I think that we’re only scratching the surface of ways that games can be used to make a positive difference in the world.”

That positive force doesn’t seem to be running out of steam, either. Mark explained how the response to Block-by-Block has been fairly positive. Since the UN-Habitat doesn’t come to other countries uninvited, communities need to make a formal request to have consultants like Mark come and visit their area. Because of making that request, there typically is very little (if any) pushback from local governments. A change in regime or stuck-up leadership might occasionally cause some conflicts, but most of the citizens are overjoyed to have the chance at fixing their residence.

At present, Mark’s contract with the UN has expired. This means that until he is needed by the UN-Habitat again, he is no longer involved with the Block-by-Block Program. He hasn’t forgotten about his time there and even has a blog dedicated to chronicling his workshops in different countries. While there was an absence of updates due to Mark pursuing a graduate degree, he is looking to leave his teaching job in the spring and resume updating the blog with stories left untold.

Mark might not have had an average upbringing, but his passion for helping others has led to one of the most unbelievable stories involving gaming I’ve ever heard. He may never return to Block-by-Block, but the good he has done with it is likely to stay with him forever. To Mark and everyone at the UN-Habitat, I salute you for being such a force of goodwill in this world. Hopefully, your remarkable story will inspire others to stick with this hobby, since it does truly matter.

If you’d like to contribute a donation to the Block-by-Block Program or even donate your own time, you can head over to this page for more information on how to help.

Inside Xbox announced Minecraft coming to the Xbox Game Pass and Halo: Master Chief Collection coming to PC and Steam. Halo Reach will be added to the Master Chief Collection and will be the first game available for PC players. Along with gaming news, we got a first look at the Phantom White Special Edition controller and Project xCloud, a game-streaming technology that will allow you to choose where and how you play your Xbox Games. Public testing will start later this year.

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-Life 3? 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 hit Minecraft since Minecraft. Even if it was accidental.

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).

“Minecraft” is coming to Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft announced during an Inside Xbox broadcast on Tuesday. It will be available on the subscription-based streaming service starting on Apr. 4.

It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that “Minecraft” is landing on the pass. The game is hugely popular. Since its launch on PC in 2009, it’s attracted over 91 million players worldwide. It’s reportedly the second best-selling video game of all time behind “Tetris.” It’s also been ported to practically every platform you can think of — 20 total — spanning consoles, mobile, and more.

Xbox Game Pass players will get access to the full game and its large library of downloadable content via the Minecraft Marketplace. They will also get the same free updates as other versions, including the upcoming Village & Pillage patch set to arrive later this spring.

Xbox Game Pass launched on Xbox One in 2017 and offers a library of over 100 streaming titles for $10/month. Square Enix’s open-world action adventure game “Just Cause 4” arrived there last month (a mere three months after launch), along with “Fallout 4,” “Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes,” and “F1 2018.”

The subscription service is currently available for Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs, although rumor is that Microsoft is looking to bring the service to the Nintendo Switch as well. While Xbox head Phil Spencer said the company is still committed to the traditional home console, it also wants to reach a wider audience and sees services like Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud as opportunities to achieve that goal.