Minecraft Live is described as a celebration of the franchise Credits: Microsoft / Mojang Studios
Microsoft says Minecraft has gained further popularity as the COVID-19 pandemic has kept many people inside, reporting a 90% increase in multiplayer sessions and almost 132 million players per month
/ p>
The company claims the hit sandbox video game has been played in every country on the planet this year, including Antarctica and Vatican City
These milestones were announced during Minecraft Live 2020, an event created to celebrate the franchise with developer panels, expansion announcements, and a community vote on future changes to the game.
« This year has been marked by uncertainty and challenges, » says Helen Chiang, head of Mojang Studios, the company behind Minecraft
« During the constant changes brought about by a global pandemic and the emergence of demands for advocacy against long-standing inequalities in our communities, we have discovered ways to support those around us in tangible and meaningful ways «
These means include posting free Minecraft: Education Edition content during the pandemic and supporting charities such as Black Lives Matter and Equal Justice Initiative
Chiang also notes that in 2020 Minecraft Dungeons was released, support for PlayStation VR was added, and a partnership with NVIDIA enabled industry-leading ray tracing and visual fidelity to PC gaming.
Among the announcements for Minecraft Live is a « massive » Caves and Cliffs update that will significantly improve the game’s caves and introduce new blocks like Stalagmites, as well as new mobs like the Axolotl
A new world building championship has been announced for Minecraft: Education Edition, which will challenge students to design and build a space that supports a healthy environment for humans and animals to coexist
Education Edition also offers courses in racial equity and history, in the hopes of teaching children about social justice and historic civil rights movements
Minecraft Dungeons is set to have cross-platform multiplayer added, so PlayStation, Nintendo, Xbox, and PC players can all play with each other
‘Howling Peaks’ is also coming to Dungeons as DLC, as part of a « robust schedule of content updates and new features planned »
Minecraft, Mojang Studios, Minecraft Live
World News – UK – Minecraft hits 132 million gamers per month, announces ‘massive’ cave update to Minecraft Live
