Microsoft wants to get a piece of the augmented reality pie one block at a time. Today, we get a first look at Microsoft’s augmented reality game called Minecraft Earth, which is set to go on beta launch for the iOS and Android this summer.
Torfi Olafsson, game director said that Minecraft Earth is is an adaptation of the million-selling blockbuster game of the same title, only with better controls for mobile. The game works just like Pokemon Go in which you roam around the real world to collect resources, build things and go on exciting quests with friends.
Adventures are optimized with group play in mind, where the AR puts everyone in the location with the same view and representation of the game world. They can work together to fight monsters, build structures or tear them down. There are also randomly-generated events that range from peaceful interludes to dangerous missions, all based on OpenStreetMap data.
