Minecraft Earth will let you build block structures in augmented reality this summer

Microsoft today announced an upcoming new title in the Mojang-created block-building Minecraft franchise, Minecraft Earth, that will use augmented reality to enable games to build block structures in their own world.

A version of Minecraft enhanced with augmented reality, Earth lets you create complex block structures that can be placed on a table or the ground so you could rotate and zoom your creation by pinching or moving your device around it.

But first, watch the official reveal trailer, embedded right ahead.

You can create new items and gather resources, just like in the standard Minecraft game.

Also, players can collaborate on structures in augmented reality, which is a nice excuse to invite a bunch of friends over to your house. The hallmark features of the original title are present in Minecraft Earth, including various creatures, block clusters, chests and more.

To learn more about the features, read the FAQ.

Minecraft Earth will be hitting iOS and Android this summer as a free-to-play download. An AR-compatible iPhone or iPad with iOS 10 or later will be required. You can sign up to receive updates for the game and get your free Earth skin.

A closed beta will begin this summer.

Still in its infancy, most of the use cases for augmented reality revolve around furniture shopping, education and gaming. Earlier this week, a cool new app was released (created with Apple’s help) that allows you to touch Lady Liberty’s nose and explore the colossal neoclassical sculpture from all angles, in augmented reality.