'Minecraft Earth' will shut down on June 30th

A little over a year after bringing Minecraft Earth in the US, Microsoft announced this week it will shut down the game later this year. Minecraft Earth players have until June 30th, 2021, to play the augmented reality title before Microsoft shuts down its servers and it's no longer available to download from app marketplaces. Developer Mojang Studios blamed the coronavirus pandemic and all the changes to day-to-day life that have come with it for the shutdown. "Minecraft Earth was designed around free movement and collaborative play – two things that have become near impossible in the current global situation," the studio said. Like Niantic with Pokémon Go, Mojang had tweaked the game to make it easier to play at home.