News
6 CommentsMinecraft Xbox 360 studio in discussion to allow save transfers to Xbox One
By Emily Gera on Jun 17, 2013 06.17.13
Minecraft Xbox 360 developer 4J Studios is currently in discussion with Microsoft Studios regarding the allowing of save files to transfer to Xbox One consoles, Phil Spencer confirmed on Twitter today. This comes in response to an earlier statement from the Microsoft Studios boss. Spencer previously told OXM that the next-gen edition of the Minecraft title would simply be "a new product," and would not allow for previous saves to transfer onto the new console. Microsoft announced the Xbox One edition during its E3 press conference last week. The new Minecraft installment is said to feature larger worlds and expanded multiplayer support.
Feature
15 CommentsChicagoQuest: Teaching with games in Chicago's Cabrini-Green
By Charlie Hall on Jun 12, 2013 06.12.13
Human Angle: Making School a Game Human Angle: Making School a Game Code Worlds Code Worlds On the third floor, in the corner of the squat, square building that houses ChicagoQuest, is room 300. It looks traditional. There is a rigid metal teacher's desk tucked into a corner, surrounded by bookcases. The students face the whiteboard at the front of the room, a pair of chairs to each wide table. Two things stand out. First, a cabinet filled with several dozen iPads at the back of the room, uncommon for an inner-city Chicago school. Second, a collage of small slips of construction paper taped high up on a wall near the door. "Our Hopes And Dreams" says the slip at the top. "My dream is to be a better writer," one says, scrawled in perfectly spaced capitals....
News
18 CommentsMinecraft launching for Xbox One (Update)
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Jun 10, 2013 06.10.13
Minecraft, Mojang's crafting heavy open-world game, will launch for Xbox One, Phil Harrison announced during Microsoft's E3 2013 press conference. A release date or a price were not announced for Minecraft Xbox One Edition. The game was released on the console's predecessor, the Xbox 360, in 2012. Update: Mojang's Markus "notch" Persson tells Polygon that 4J Studios, the people behind the Xbox 360 version of the game, will also be developing the Xbox One version. Update 2: Minecraft's Carl Manneh tells us that the Xbox One edition of the game will be "developed in the same manner as the Xbox 360 version. We will keep updating the game as long as people are playing (and buying) it." No word yet on whether Minecraft's upcoming official server service, Realms, will be coming to the...
News
9 CommentsMinecraft - Pocket Edition updated with Minecraft Realms Alpha and cake
By Jenna Pitcher on Jun 06, 2013 06.06.13
Today's update for Minecraft - Pocket Edition, the mobile version of Mojang's hit game, features new in-game items and Minecraft Realms Alpha support. Minecraft Realms Alpha will allow a user to play Minecraft - Pocket Edition online with up to nine of their friends at a time. Once the full version of Realms is released, it will eventually be an "optional, paid service." Minecraft - Pocket Edition update 0.7.0 also introduces in-game items such as buckets, fire, smooth lighting, spawn eggs, egg, milk and cake. It also includes chat capabilities, new menus and "connecting players inventory is now saved on server." Minecraft Pocket - Edition was released in 2011 for mobile devices. It is available from the iTunes App Store and Google Play for $6.99. Free demo versions are also...
News
27 CommentsFez and Minecraft assets swiped by iOS game Ace Block Jump
By Michael McWhertor on May 10, 2013 05.10.13
Developer Polytron found its Fez art assets appropriated — alongside art from Mojang's Minecraft — in the recently published iOS game Ace Block Jump, a $0.99 app from a developer that also appears to have borrowed its very name, Infocom Games, from someone else. Ace Block Jump is described as a "pixel based shooter game" in which players seemingly shoot Minecraft-like versions of Street Fighter's Blanka, the Power Rangers and Robin from DC Comics. "The first action game, in which we mixed PIXEL and MINECRAFT style ( PIXELCRAFT )," Infocom Games writes on iTunes. "The most exciting and amusing game ever, specially in this new style." Infocom Games' previous iOS titles include Block Craft: Iron Ops and Ace Combat: Block Sniper, games done in the Minecraft visual style that borrow...
News
2 CommentsMinecraft: Xbox 360 Edition update 11 fixes minor issues, adds messages
By Samit Sarkar on May 10, 2013 05.10.13
Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition developer 4J Studios began rolling out title update 11 for the sandbox game today, fixing a few minor problems and making the game a bit more talkative. Your Minecraft world will be fuller after installing this patch, which increases the overall limit of paintings and item frames, Villagers and Snow Golems in a world. The update also reduces the volume of the sound a Ghast emits. And the game will now offer a few more message pop-ups for particular situations. Here's a full list of the patch notes, as seen on the Minecraft Forums: Fix for explosion lag issue on clients in an online game. Fix to remove any Fireballs hanging in the air in a save game. Fix to only show the spawn limit message to the player attempting to spawn something. Fixed the...
Deals
1 CommentSerious Sam games half off on Xbox Live this week, Battlefield 3 DLC half price next week
By Samit Sarkar on May 07, 2013 05.07.13
This week's slate of sales on Xbox Live Marketplace includes half-price discounts on the Serious Sam series, Microsoft's Major Nelson announced today. From today through May 13, the four Serious Sam games on Xbox Live Arcade are each available for 400 Microsoft Points ($5), 50 percent off their usual price. That includes Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter, Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter, Serious Sam 3: BFE (screenshot above) and Serious Sam Double D XXL. Jewel of the Nile, the add-on for Serious Sam 3: BFE, is also on sale for the same price. This week will also see the release of two skin packs for 4J Studios' Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition, the 1st Birthday Skins Pack for free and the Battle 'N Beasts Pack for 160 Microsoft Points ($2). And Pocketwatch Games' Monaco: What's...
News
3 CommentsApple reveals top 50 apps of all time, counting down to 50 billion downloads
By Alexa Ray Corriea on May 03, 2013 05.03.13
Nearly 50 billion apps have been download from Apple's App Store, the company announced today. To commemorate the approaching milestone, Apple revealed the 25 most downloaded apps in both the paid and free categories. Topping the paid apps list is the original Angry Birds, followed by Halfbrick Studios' Fruit Ninja, Lima Sky's Doodle Jump, Cut the Rope and Angry Birds Seasons. Words With Friends sits at number eight, while Angry Birds Space is tenth and PopCap's Plants vs. Zombies is number 12. Angry Birds Star Wars also makes the list at number 18, and Minecraft Pocket Edition takes the twenty-third spot. Facebook sits at number one on the free apps list, followed directly by Pandora Radio, Instagram, YouTube, Skype and Words With Friends Free. Twitter's application is eighth with T...
News
2 CommentsMinecraft Xbox 360 headed to European retailers June 28
By Emily Gera on May 01, 2013 05.01.13
The Xbox 360 edition of Minecraft is headed to European retailers on June 28, Microsoft confirmed today in a statement to VG247. This upcoming disc version of Minecraft will also include a free 48-hour Xbox Live trial, which will give all players the chance to access the game's online co-op. This follows last month's announcement of a delayed release in North America. The title was scheduled to hit retail shelves on April 30 at a price point of $19.99; however, Major Nelson revealed the retail release would be delayed until June 4 in order to ensure the latest content updates would be included in the physical copy of the game.
News
8 CommentsNotch unveils free ceiling-inspired Unity game called Drop, playable now
By Jenna Pitcher on Apr 29, 2013 04.29.13
Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson unveiled Drop, a free Unity game available to play now, the developer revealed on his Twitter account. According to Notch, the game was mainly inspired by a section of ceiling in his apartment, as well as Fez's ending and Super Hexagon. Gameplay consists of gamers typing in the corresponding blinking letters on the screen and pressing space or enter to advance. Bonus points are awarded if more than four letters are entered at a time. The game speeds up if the wrong letter is entered and it's game over if a letter leaves the screen. According to Notch's Twitter, he shared Drop's code with game developer Mike Bithell, the creator of Thomas Was Alone, who then built an Oculus Rift version of the game.
