There are two Minecraft-inspired theme parks that are coming to the real world in the United Kingdom and United States with the first one coming in 2026.
Game creator Mojang is collaborating with Merlin Entertainments in order to bring new entertainment destinations to the public. These include rides, hotel rooms, and various shops with goodies.
Minecraft Theme Parks
The latter is the operator of existing theme parks and attractions, including Alton Towers, Legoland, Sea Life, and Madame Tussauds. The planned theme parks based on Minecraft are planned to be opened as part of an existing theme park or as new city center attractions.
The two companies are working together for the new project. They have plans to expand their reach to other countries and territories in the future. The Minecraft-themed attractions are not the first time that the brand has made its way to the real world.
Mojang also partnered with Supply + Demand earlier this year in order to launch Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue. This was marketed as an "immersive, interactive Minecraft quest" that can be found in Plano, Texas, according to Rock Paper Shotgun.
Minecraft looks to be very busy in the next few years with a lot of new stuff going on. These include a live-action movie that is set to come out next year.
There is also a planned animated series on Netflix. The latest partnership could also signal a big few years for UK theme parks in general.
The new theme park project by Mojang and Merlin Entertainments was revealed to be a $105 million investment plan. The Minecraft theme parks are planned to be incorporated into the latter's currently existing theme parks and city centers in the UK and the US.
The new partnership, known as "Adventures Made Real," continues Merlin Entertainments' licensing strategy. This follows its purchase of the Legoland brand nearly two decades ago. Merlin Entertainments added various new attractions over the years, Euronews said.
Coming to the UK and the US
The company also launched a Jumanji-themed attraction last year in its UK theme park Chessington World of Adventure. That particular project was done in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Microsoft's Kayleen Walter talked a little bit about the partnership between Mojang and Merlin Entertainments. She noted that the former was everywhere digitally while the latter was everywhere physically.
She added that they were thinking about how to expand Minecraft as a brand beyond just the game itself. Mojang and Microsoft are both experts on it while Merlin is the expert when it comes to location-based experiences, according to PCGamer.
