by Minecraft Legends is the next of the upcoming Xbox Series X games to launch in 2023, with Mojang Studios teaming up with Blackbird Interactive to deliver a compelling action-strategy spin-off set in the larger Minecraft universe. This cross-platform release is utterly delightful, with its dynamic visual style and surprise twist on familiar Minecraft core principles.
Rather than establishing bases to survive threats from the Overworld, you’ll work to unite them – teaming up with mobs to face an invading Piglin army. This version of Xbox Game Pass looks set to deliver an easy-to-grasp experience for the casual strategy fan, but with a surprising amount of depth lurking beneath the surface for you diehard fans of the genre. Naturally, we don’t have long to wait to try it out ourselves now, so get acquainted with all things Minecraft Legends below.
Minecraft Legends release date
The release date for Minecraft Legends is set for April 18, 2023. The launch date was revealed in January, when Mojang appeared in an Xbox Developer Direct alongside fellow Xbox Game Studios members Arkane, Bethesda, and Turn 10 for a fresh look at Redfall, Elder Scrolls Online, and Forza Motorsport. It’s here that Microsoft Gaming also gave us a first look at the game’s PvP mode.
Minecraft Legends Platforms
Although Microsoft owns Mojang, having acquired the Minecraft developer and IP in 2014, the company remains committed to ensuring version parity for this universe. This means that Minecraft Legends will launch on virtually every existing platform: Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5 on April 18. Minecraft Legends will also be part of the full Xbox Game Pass day one roster, meaning it will be available to Xbox and PC Game Pass users as part of the subscription.
Minecraft Legends Game
Minecraft is known for being incredibly accessible, allowing players of all ages to jump in and start building, the same goes for Minecraft Dungeons, a cooperative dungeon crawler that’s very easy to get into. with friends and start exploring. Every hint in the video we’ve seen indicates that Minecraft Legends gameplay is going to follow a similar pattern, a game with a low bar for entry, extremely easy to pick up, but with rich depth for those who want to delve deeper. .
We can expect Minecraft Legends to feature resource gathering for you to build bigger and better defenses against invading Nether armies. We’ll see exploration across a variety of biomes allowing you to gather unique and rare resources, as well as large-scale combat, commanding your allies to fend off the enemy.
The story of Minecraft Legends
The story of Minecraft Legends will see us attempt to “Unite the Overworld”. The events are neither fact nor fiction, but rather a legend passed down from generation to generation – where a great hero brought the Overworld together to fight an invading Piglin army. You’ll work with mob armies, from Creepers to Zombies, to fend off Piglins in the Nether. There is a full story campaign offering in Minecraft Legends, as well as the option for more cooperative and competitive multiplayer opportunities with friends as well.
Is Minecraft Legends multiplayer?
Minecraft Legends will launch with a separate PvP mode separate from its campaign. With support for up to eight players (divided into two teams), your objective is to capture and destroy your enemy’s base while establishing your own defenses. There’s also a third team to worry about, with an AI-controlled Piglin faction present on each of the procedurally generated maps to create a bit of chaos for both sides.
What’s interesting here is that Mojang has always kept the collaborative spirit of Minecraft alive in this Minecraft Legends multiplayer mode. Each side’s army and resources are shared among team members, which should allow players to specialize – resource gathering, building, combat, and more. – without having to worry about the situation down to the smallest detail. Blackbird and Mojang have designed the multiplayer to be deep and fast, with games supposed to last between 20 and 30 minutes.
There’s also a more traditional online co-op mode in Minecraft Legends, which will allow up to four friends to get together in drop-in multiplayer sessions to build structures, build armies, and generally mess around in the Overworld.
Does Minecraft Legends support cross-play?
There will be Minecraft Legends cross-play support from day one, allowing Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch players to all play together. This will ensure that you can enjoy the Minecraft Legends PvP offering with friends no matter what platform they are on, and join others for four-player online co-op sessions.
Development of Minecraft Legends
Minecraft developer Mojang isn’t shy about bringing in outside expertise to help with games that deviate from the original massive open-sandbox game. For 2020’s Minecraft Dungeons, UK developer Double Eleven has been hired to help create the dynamic dungeon crawler spin-off.
In order to create an action strategy game, Mojang partnered with Blackbird Interactive, the studio behind Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak and Hardspace: Shipbreaker. Blackbird seems like a perfect fit, and the team also have experience collaborating with Mojang, having been involved in the now-discontinued Minecraft Earth AR game. In a preview of the extended Minecraft Legends showcase, executive producer Dennis Ries said that initially the partnership with Blackbird Interactive was known internally as Project Badger, and looking at footage from Minecon 2018 you can see Mojang lead developer Jens Bergensten wearing a t-shirt with a Badger design. It’s quite the niche Easter egg, but we still love it.
Minecraft Legends is one of the big new games of 2023. While you wait why not jump into one of the best Xbox Series X games Or best ps5 games.
