Minecraft to become UK real-life destination in deal with Merlin

The best-selling virtual gathering crippled Minecraft is to go a real-life destination successful a woody with UK-based taxable parkland proprietor Merlin.

Merlin, the proprietor of Legoland, Alton Towers and Thorpe Park, has agreed connected a woody with Mojang Studios, the creator down the globally fashionable sandbox game, to put much than £85 cardinal successful the archetypal 2 Minecraft attractions successful its existing UK and US parks betwixt 2026 and 2027.

Merlin said the parks volition see “first-of-its-kind concepts” for Minecraft-themed accommodation, retail and restaurants positive a Minecraft-themed ride.

These would beryllium expanded to different planetary destinations successful the long-term.

Merlin Entertainments main enforcement Scott O’Neil said: “This is simply a important milestone for Merlin, which reinforces our committedness to reaching caller audiences done bold and captivating concepts and straight supports our ambitions for growth.

“Minecraft is the best-selling video crippled of each time, and this world-first volition spot fans acquisition its thrill and creativity successful existent life, astatine taxable parks and city-centre attractions successful starring tourer destinations.”

Kayleen Walters, vice-president of franchise improvement for gaming astatine Microsoft, which acquired Mojang successful 2014, said: “Partnering with Merlin Entertainments is an incredibly breathtaking measurement for america astatine Mojang Studios.

“Merlin’s expertise successful creating world-class attractions makes them the cleanable spouse to assistance america bring Minecraft to beingness successful caller and immersive ways successful imperishable locations astir the globe.”

Minecraft is the bestselling video crippled of each time, with 140 cardinal players each month.

A Minecraft movie is owed for merchandise adjacent April featuring Hollywood stars including Jason Momoa and Jack Black, and earlier this twelvemonth Netflix announced plans to merchandise an animated bid based connected the game.

In 2005, Merlin struck a woody with Lego to bargain its 4 Legoland taxable parks.

In 2022, it signed a woody with Sony Pictures Entertainment to bring the Hollywood movie franchise Jumanji to its parks, with a scope of rides and attractions opening astatine Chessington successful the UK past year.

Earlier this year, Merlin announced an enlargement of its Peppa Pig woody to make rides and attractions successful Duplo-themed areas astatine a fig of its parks.

Last year, Minecraft became the archetypal azygous video crippled to walk 300 cardinal income – good up of different top-selling planetary titles including Grand Theft Auto V and Nintendo’s Wii Sports.

In 2020, Minecraft moved to marque its educational-themed worlds disposable for escaped to assistance pupils nary longer capable to be schoolhouse due to the fact that of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The company, which said it wanted to bash its portion to “help support young minds crisp and stimulated”, made 12 integer lessons available, including a crippled astir generating powerfulness from renewable vigor sources and an interactive acquisition astir past Greece.