by Stone Marshall | Jul 2, 2016 | Minecraft News |
We’ve been talking up Minecraft’s “Friendly Update” for a while now, but it’s totally here. You can check it out if it really is friendly or not, and while doing that enjoy the new features that Mojang inserted into the game. Whether it’s the pig riding or the cross-platform play, there should be something for everybody here.
First up, Realms are online play servers for Minecraft Pocket Edition. You can now build your worlds on Realms, invite only your friends to have access to the world you’re creating, and it will always be accessible to you and your friends, wherever you are and even when you log-off. “Anytime, anywhere” seemed like a promise too good to be true, but it’s here now. Realms is available for a 30-day free trial in-app.
What makes this update the bomb is the cross-device multiplayer feature. If you’re looking for “friendly,” this is it. Minecraft players can now play their games with friends with whatever device they are currently on – Android device, an Apple iPhone, or even a Windows 10 PC. Heck, you can even use a Gear VR.
And lastly, pig riding! What’s not to like? Oh, and as a bonus, piston-powered elements for everything! Check out the update now via the Google Play Store.
Minecraft Pocket Edition ‘Friendly Update’ now rolling out
by Stone Marshall | Jul 2, 2016 | Minecraft questions |
“Minecraft” will be blowing up the big screen on May 25, 2019.
Warner Bros. set a release date on Monday for the video game adaptation, which will be presented in 3D and on Imax.
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” star and co-creator Rob McElhenney is directing the movie.
“Minecraft” will go head to head against two massive films in May of 2019: Disney’s “Star Wars: Episode IX” and Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War — Part II.”
Warner Bros. acquired film rights to the video game franchise from Swedish developer Mojang AB in February of 2014. Roy Lee (“Lego Movie”) will produce through his Vertigo Entertainment production company along with Jill Messick (“Mean Girls”).
Director Shawn Levy, and writers Kieran Mulroney and Michele Mulroney were initially attached to the project. The trio departed in December of 2014 after their concept didn’t fit the video game developers’ vision.
The game, which debuted in 2009, allows players to create their own avatars and build an environment using textured cubes in a 3D world as they battle nocturnal monsters. Multiple gameplay modes are available, including survival mode, creative mode and adventure mode.
“Angry Birds” is the most recent mobile game to get the movie treatment, with “Candy Crush” and “Fruit Ninja” films in the works.
‘Minecraft’ Movie Gets Release Date From Warner Bros.
by Stone Marshall | Jul 1, 2016 | Minecraft News |
With Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them coming up, J.K. Rowling has revealed the origins of the American wizarding school Ilvermorny.
Pottermore has released a new installment of the ‘Magic in North America’ series, which introduces the new story by J.K. Rowling all about Ilvermorny:
In the video, we learn that Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded by a young Irish girl named Isolt Sayre, with a unique stolen wand.
And there’s much more on Pottermore! Not only is there an Ilvermorny sorting quiz, but a lengthy story by J.K. Rowling reveals that the American school was founded in the seventeenth century, and that it’s located on top of Mount Greylock in Massachusetts.
As a young girl, Isolt was kidnapped by her aunt Gormlaith Gaunt (yes, that Gaunt!), a “fanatical pure-blood” who was revealed to have killed Isolt’s parents.
Isolt, a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, wasn’t allowed to go to Hogwarts. Once an adult, Isolt disguised herself as a man and escaped to America. From there, the tale really begins to take shape; we learn about how she came up with the four house symbols (particularly the Horned Serpent), and how she eventually fell in love.
The tale also reveals how new students are sorted! Rowling explains how they’re taken to the entrance hall and one-by-one called to stand by the ‘Gordian Knot,’ to wait for one of the four house symbols to claim them.“If the Horned Serpent wants the student, the crystal set into its forehead will light up. If the Wampus wants the student, it roars. The Thunderbird signifies its approval by beating its wings, and the Pukwudgie will raise its arrow into the air,” Rowling writes.
Further, we learn more about what the four Houses represent: “It is sometimes said of the Ilvermorny houses that they represent the whole witch or wizard: the mind is represented by Horned Serpent; the body, Wampus; the heart, Pukwudgie and the soul, Thunderbird. Others say that Horned Serpent favours scholars, Wampus, warriors, Pukwudgie, healers and Thunderbird, adventurers.”
While it’s not totally the same as Hogwarts, we can definitely see the similarities (Horned Serpent = Ravenclaw, Wampus = Gryffindor, Pukwudgie = Hufflepuff and Thunderbird = Slytherin), though the correlation isn’t absolute. It makes sense for them to be so similar though, considering that Isolt grew up hearing stories about Hogwarts, and always wished to go there herself.
Most excitingly, you’re also able to get sorted into a House! Take the quiz and tell us what you got!
Pottermore releases Ilvermorny sorting quiz, J.K. Rowling writes detailed backstory
by Stone Marshall | Jul 1, 2016 | Minecraft News |
The hyper-popular Minecraft game franchise is coming to the big screen in 2019: The movie will be competing with the Star Wars and Avengers finales!
Warner Bros. plans for a Minecraft movie just got a little more specific: Via Variety, we now have an official release date!
Minecraft: The Movie (or whatever they’re calling it) will hit theaters on May 25, 2019, meaning that its debut is just three years away.
That’s not a long time in Hollywood years, but it is somewhat of a gamble — we don’t doubt the enduring popularity of Minecraft as a franchise, but since there’s no inherent story in the game to draw crowds, perhaps its target audience will have moved on to bigger and better things by 2019?
Especially considering that the Minecraft movie will end up competing with two massive franchise conclusions (and possibly the biggest films of all time): Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2 and Disney’s Star Wars: Episode IX. Yikes.
Nonetheless, we’re curious to see what Warner Bros. will do with the Lego-adjacent block world and characters.
Minecraft is essentially a builder/battler game, giving you endless worlds to populate and construct to your liking. In online multiplayer mode you can engage with battles with friends or strangers, carving out a position of authority in a pixelated alternate reality.
The best version possible of this film would probably take the Lego Movie approach and try to incorporate some of the franchises Minecraft has the rights to. Like, uh… Minions? Okay, never mind.
Minecraft was originally set to be directed by Shawn Levy, from a script by Kieran and Michele Mulroney. They departed the project in 2014, however, and now it’s in the hands of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia‘s’ Rob McElhenney.
Considering the lukewarm reception to the Angry Birds movie, we’ll put this one in the ‘maybe’ column — but hey, we’re sure kids will love it!
Warner Bros. sets ‘Minecraft’ movie for May 2019
by Stone Marshall | Jun 30, 2016 | Minecraft News |
Minecraft Battle is the new mini-game for consoles that was announced back in May.
It’s the first in a series of mini-games being introduced to all console versions of the game and takes its inspiration from the PC community’s activities.
While Battle Mode is free and comes with three maps, you can pick up additional map packs for £2.39, or fork out for the season pass at £7.99 that includes all four of the map packs that will eventually be released.
You can pick up the first pack today to unlock Temple, Medusa, and Lair maps.
Minecraft Battle Mode is out now for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, and PS Vita.
Minecraft’s new Battle Mode is free on consoles right now
