The Minecraft Earth augmented reality (AR) mobile game updated on iOS and Android devices today with some bug fixes and new features but also some changes to improve the game’s playability during the COVID-19 global pandemic and help encourage players to self-isolate.
“We want to help you #FlattenTheCurve!” an official statement from the app’s devs reads. “The health and safety of our players is incredibly important to the Minecraft Earth team. Current COVID-19 pre-cautionary guidelines from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control encourages individuals to stay home and avoid public places and gatherings of 10 or more people. In accordance with these guidelines, we’ve made the following changes to empower Minecraft Earth players to continue to build, craft, Adventure, and mine from the safety of home!”
Here are the three main changes made to the game in response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Increased Tappable spawn rate
- Increased Tappable density
- Added the ability to spawn Adventures anywhere
Some other changes were also made with this update. Here’s the full release notes with all of the details:
New Stuff!
- Introducing a real gem of a feature – Adventure Crystals! These powerful jewels that you collect from Tappables and Adventure Chests allow you to summon an Adventure anywhere. Check out that shiny new button at the bottom of the screen, if you’re up for a challenge.
- Forget raising the roof, we’re raising the level cap to 25! Ok, now you can raise the roof.
- We’ve got a new skeleton crew! Bone Spiders are here to add an element of danger to your next Adventure.
- What a tree-t! Dark Forest Buildplates are now available in the Store.
New Mobs!
- The Tropical Slime is making a big splash in Minecraft Earth! This aquatic ooze travels with a school of fishy friends and brings a beachy feel to any Buildplate.
- That’s one fiery temper! The Iron Furnace Golem is a fearsome protector that’s ready to burn bridges with any invader. Be careful on your buildplate through as its firey attacks can set things alight.
Bug Fixes!
- Various Fixes were made so that Adventure Chests spawn as expected in adventures!
Et Cetera!
- Peep that new loading screen art. Pretty cool, right? ????
- The Boost Icon got an electrifying makeover.
- Settings has a new home on the profile screen, so it may not be exactly where you remembered, but it hasn’t gone away!
- Join friend and Code Scan can now be found in the Buildplates screen!
- Challenges can now be accessed directly from the World Map. Navigational!
- Let off some steam — the mighty Melon Golem will melt if their surroundings get too hot.
Minecraft Earth is still technically in Early Access and hasn’t officially launched yet. While it definitely has a lot of potential by allowing players to continue their Minecraft adventure in the real world, it’s yet to gain anywhere near the level of popularity of Pokemon Go.
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