It’s time to build around the world, Minecraft Earth Early Access starts rolling out today

Minecraft’s free-to-play AR mobile game Minecraft Earth is now available in Early Access in New Zealand and Iceland. More countries will be added in the coming weeks eventually leading to worldwide availability by the end of the year.

Minecraft Earth is an all-new augmented reality game you can play on your mobile devices that brings the Minecraft world into our universe! Through the lens of the game, you’ll be able to build creations with friends and place them in the real world at life-size. You’ll discover exciting new mobs to use in your builds. And you may need to put your survival skills to the test as you explore a new side to your neighborhood and battle Minecraft mobs in real life!

In Minecraft Earth, players are able to explore procedurally generated Minecraft worlds in life size with social multiplayer. Two Microsoft technologies are used for this game.

Adventures are made possible by two critical Microsoft technologies. First, Azure PlayFab’s dedicated servers enable “Minecraft Earth’s” multiplayer gameplay by hosting both buildplates and adventures for you. Second, Azure Spatial Anchors (ASA) implement shared experiences and persistence of augmented reality content. So, when you set off to your local park and find an abandoned mine with treasures, “Minecraft Earth” is using the ASA service to help guide different players to the same adventure.

Minecraft Earth’s Early Access is rolling out worldwide and will be available on iOS and Android devices by the end of the year. For more information, visit the official website.