Minecraft Just Dropped a New Free A Minecraft Movie DLC

While Minecraft itself remains incredibly popular, fans are a bit skeptical about the upcoming A Minecraft Movie, which arrives in theaters on April 4th. Regardless of how you feel about Jack Black as Minecraft Steve, there’s no denying that the film’s shooting location in New Zealand makes for some beautiful backdrops. So beautiful, in fact, that Minecraft is getting a whole new free DLC dedicated to showing off the beauty of New Zealand by inviting players to take a virtual tour of key points of interest.

The new Aotearoa New Zealand DLC releases on March 18th and is free across Xbox, PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. To play, simply download the free DLC from the Minecraft marketplace. Designed as a destination-based virtual experience, the new Minecraft DLC will let players engage in various real-world activities as they virtually tour the game’s version of iconic New Zealand locations. Though New Zealand may be best known as the location of the Shire, gamers who can’t book a ticket IRL can now experience it in Minecraft block form.

These Real-World Locations Get the Minecraft Treatment in New Free DLC

If you’re curious about where you can go in the Aotearoa New Zealand DLC for Minecraft, here’s a breakdown of the six real-life destinations and how they’ll appear in the game’s new free content.

Waitomo Caves (Waikato)

This cave network destination becomes a parkour platforming adventure in the New Zealand Minecraft DLC. Gamers can explore the caves, take photos of the rock formations, and float their way to a cave filled with digital glowworms.

Te Puia, Rotorua (Bay of Plenty)

This geothermal landscape full of luxurious spa experiences will transform into a fast-paced run and gather challenge in Minecraft. Players will have to quickly run around the map, taking photos of various points of interest.

Kapiti Island (Wellington)

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This nature preserve will provide a birding challenge in Minecraft, asking players to collect photos of various bird species. They’ll also need to figure out how to attract and find the different types.

Abel Tasman (Nelson/Tasman)

This coastal region is New Zealand’s smallest national park, and the Minecraft DLC invites players to explore in a waka taua boat. Gamers will encounter various sea creatures as they ride, and players can engage in rhythm games along the way.

Tekapo (Mackenzie)

Players will explore this outdoor activity location on 4-wheelers, headed to the top of the mountain to spot constellations in the night sky.

Patea Doubtful Sound (Fiordland)

Here, players will explore the Patea Doubtful sound on a skipper boat while avoiding rocks, dolphin pods, and more. Along the way, they’ll see various New Zealand points of interest.

While fans will need to wait until April 4th to see how these locations show up in A Minecraft Movie, they can check out the free DLC now. It is available on all platforms via the Minecraft store.

Are you interested in exploring virtual versions of these New Zealand destinations in Minecraft? Let us know your thoughts below!