Skip to main content

Minecraft Earth closed beta launches on iOS first: Here’s how to sign up

The closed beta of the highly anticipated Minecraft Earth will launch within the next two weeks on iOS, with the Android version to follow soon.

The information was shared in a blog post on the official Minecraft website, in which it was also said that the number of participants in the closed beta will be limited in numbers and locations. Players’ progress will occasionally be reset while the various features of the game are being developed and tested. These are pretty standard characteristics of closed beta releases.

Recommended Videos

The sign-up sheet is still open for players who would like to try their luck at being chosen as one of the closed beta testers of the augmented reality version of Minecraft. The only requirements are that the applicant should be at least 18 years old, with a smartphone that runs on either Android 7.0 Nougat or iOS 10. Applicants will also need to input their Microsoft or Xbox Live account, both of which may be created for free. In exchange for signing up, players will receive an exclusive skin.

Chosen participants will be informed through an invitation email, but being selected comes with the responsibility of playing Minecraft Earth at least once every seven days. Players who cannot find time to test the app will lose their spot to someone else who will be a more active participant.

The launch on iOS first for the Minecraft Earth closed beta is not a surprise, as the first glimpse of live gameplay was shown at Apple’s WWDC. A specific launch date was not specified, but given the two-week time frame for the release of the closed beta for the iOS, it will arrive within the month.

Minecraft Earth will be a free-to-play game that will heavily use AR technology, as it will always map in-game elements to the real world. The game will feature Tapables, which are things that players can tap on their screens to gather rewards, and Adventures, which are mini-games linked to specific real-world locations.

Minecraft Earth will continue the success of Minecraft, which has sold more than 176 million copies as of May, possibly making it the best-selling video game of all time.

Aaron Mamiit
Aaron received an NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was four years old, and he has been fascinated…
Epic still plans to bring its Games Store to iOS and Android this year
epic games store ios android 2024 egs mobile

Epic Games affirmed its commitment to bringing the Epic Games Store to iOS and Android before the end of 2024 during its State of Unreal presentation at GDC 2024.

Steve Allison, Epic Games Store general manager, explained that the mobile version of the Epic Games Store will feature Fortnite, as well as games from "a selection of third-party partners who have expressed interest in joining us when we launch." Like the PC version of the storefront, developers who release games on the mobile version of the Epic Games Store will have 88/12 base revenue share and Unreal Engine royalties waived.

Read more
If you really want to, here’s how to cheat in Words With Friends
Playing Words With Friends on a smartphone.

Words With Friends 2 is one of the best word games out there right now. Unlike Wordle, which is more of a solo game, Words With Friends 2 allows you to directly compete against your friends to see who has the superior vocabulary and strategy game skills.

Those who have mastered the game might be able to take on any opponent solo, but some of us need a little help.

Read more
Get a free copy of Death Stranding for iOS when you buy this Backbone One controller
Sam Porter Bridges climbs a ladder in Death Stranding for iOS played on a limited edition Death Stranding Backbone One.

Mobile game controller maker Backbone is releasing a limited-edition version of its Backbone One controller themed around Kojima Productions' Death Stranding. If you pick one up, you'll get a free code for the iOS version of Death Stranding: Director's Cut, will launch alongside the controller next week.

Based on the second-gen USB-C Backbone One controller, this limited-edition controller is themed to the game. The grip on the controller features a beige see-through design reminiscent of the BB Pod from Death Stranding. The bridge of the controller features the logos of both Backbone and Kojima Productions. It's a simple design, yet one that's instantly recognizable as related to Death Stranding and appealing to those who like translucent gaming hardware.

Read more