Minecraft Earth Is Shutting Down

Minecraft Earth, the mobile Minecraft spin-off that tasked players with finding resources and mobs in the real world, is shutting down. Microsoft and Mojang announced the end of Minecraft Earth this week and said that the game will no longer be supported after June 2021 with plans also shared for how the game will wind down in the months before its closure. The game was launched on mobile devices in an early access format in late 2019.

An AR game that reminded people of Pokemon GO when it was announced, Minecraft Earth "was designed around free movement and collaborative play," Mojang said. Because of lockdowns, restrictions, and other complications stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, Mojang said those cornerstones of Minecraft Earth have become "near impossible" to act upon. For that reason, the game will be shut down later in the summer.

After many great adventures, we’ve made the difficult decision to close down Minecraft Earth in June 2021. We’re so grateful for all your support, and today’s last build includes several adjustments to make these last months as fun as possible:

↣ https://t.co/D9fEGuOoqX ↢ pic.twitter.com/KyHIToSrsI

— Minecraft (@Minecraft) January 5, 2021

The final update for the game is releasing on Tuesday to make some adjustments and to allow players to better experience the game in a world where many have to or are choosing to stay indoors more often. That update removes real-money transactions from the game and also reduces ruby costs significantly. All completed but unreleased content will also be included in the update, the time requirements for crafting and smelting will be reduced, boosts for those activities will be replaced with radius boosts, and players will get a set of Creator Items if they sign in between now and June 30th.

It'll be on June 30th that support for the game will shut down completely which means you won't be able to download or play Minecraft Earth afterwards. Come July 1st, player data will also be deleted.

Mojang did have some good news to share for those who want more Minecraft experiences after Minecraft Earth shuts down. Those who've made purchases in Minecraft Earth will be compensated in different ways and will have funds made available to them in Minecraft if they have ruby balances.

"All players with paid ruby balances will be granted Minecoins, which you can use on the Minecraft Marketplace to purchase skin and texture packs, maps, and even minigames," Mojang said. "Plus, if you've ever made a purchase in Minecraft Earth, you will receive a free copy of Minecraft (the Bedrock version) so you can get a fresh start while grabbing some goodies from the Marketplace!"

Minecraft Earth will fully shut down after June 30th.