Minecraft, the game where you can build anything—even a theme park—is about to make that a reality. Thanks to a $110 million deal with Merlin Entertainment, the beloved block world will soon come to life in actual theme parks. For my kids who’ve spent hours building rollercoasters out of minecarts, they might just get to experience the thrill in real life.
Merlin Entertainment, which owns major theme park destinations worldwide, including Alton Towers and Legoland, will be adding Minecraft-themed expansions to their existing parks in the US and UK.
Merlin and Mojang have said they anticipate the park extensions to open between 2026 and 2027, and given the success of Minecraft Lego, my bet is on these Minecraft worlds being attached to the Merlin Legoland parks, who have recently expanded with Peppa Pig rides in its Duplo-themed areas. Merlin and Mojang are penning the deal an '“Adventures Made Real” investment which "will bring Minecraft adventures to life in the real world through immersive and interactive entertainment attractions". Coincidentally, Peppa Pig and Minecraft are both on Xbox Game Pass, can we get an Xbox theme park, Phil?
The deal, which will cost Merlin $110 for the first two attractions will include Minecraft-themed accommodation, retail, food, and beverages and of course, rides. Additionally, visitors can earn exclusive in-game content to continue their gaming journey.
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Minecraft where you can touch grass (and real creepers) I can't wait!
Minecraft has been a staple in my family's life for years, and with a big age gap between my children (16 and 4), I’m once again diving into the "Minecraft" phase with my youngest. Unfortunately, he’ll probably never experience Minecon in person like his brother did back in 2015.
That said, it feels like a new era is about to unfold for Minecraft. With the highly anticipated Minecraft movie launching in 2025, featuring big stars like Jack Black and Jason Momoa, it’s set to soar to potential box office success (disturbing CGI aside). In addition, real-life Minecraft experiences are popping up worldwide, and our own Zachary Boddy recently had the pleasure of interviewing Mojang members and the Minecraft Experience team. They mentioned, "It's not just for Minecraft players, it's for people to discover Minecraft as well." With the combination of the movie, these immersive experiences, and the upcoming theme parks, Minecraft is poised to re-enter the mainstream in a major way. Not that it needs much help, considering it's already the best-selling video game of all time.
ICYMI: The brand new Minecraft controller from PDP is now available to purchase
Earlier this month, I had the chance to go hands-on with the PDP Realmz Minecraft controller, one of the rare third-party wireless controllers for Xbox priced under $100, with an MSRP of $79.99. It's now available for purchase directly from Turtle Beach or PDP, and I think it would make any Minecraft fan thrilled this holiday season (mine is already tucked away for my little Minecraft enthusiast).
