Minecraft is one of the most widespread gaming franchises in the world. It’s already infiltrated Super Smash Bros. and Sonic. It’s even crossed over into the real world with merchandise collaborations. So it’s no wonder that Minecraft Legends could be one of 2023’s most legendary games. Mojang Studios’ and Blackbird Interactive’s upcoming Minecraft spinoff already feels like an exciting bridge between strategy and sandbox gaming genres.
In a recent preview, Minecraft Legends Public Relations Manager Rebecca Gordius and Mojang Studios Executive Producer Dennis Ries spoke with press about the game’s campaign and gameplay. These are just five of the juiciest facts that came out of the hour-long conference.
1. Minecraft Legends isn’t canon
Minecraft Legends developers decided on the name “Legends,” intending the story to be something like a legend passed between generations rather than something written down as fact.
Minecraft itself is a sandbox game that doesn’t have a set plot. It has some lore that’s open to interpretation and plenty of room for players to build their own story. With that in mind, Ries confirmed that Minecraft Legends isn’t canon. However, headcanons are more than welcome.
“We look at it like more of a mythology,” said Ries. “This is a legend that may or may not have happened.”
2. No two playthroughs are the same...for now
Minecraft Legends is a procedurally generated experience, which means that each player starts in a unique world that pops straight out of the generator when they start a new playthrough. You might start in a lava-covered world while your friend might start in a forest.
That isn’t exactly new news, but there’s one revealing tidbit that trickled out of the latest conference: There aren’t “seeds” like there are in Minecraft, which means your friends can’t play the same level as you. However, Ries emphasized that there wouldn’t be seeds “at launch,” so it’s unclear if the team will consider the possibility in a future update or if it’s simply not a goal at this time.
3. No PvP ranking system
Minecraft Legends’ PvP mode can support up to 4v4. These games can last anywhere between 20 and 50 minutes depending on the player’s expertise, but they were supposedly designed to last closer to 20 minutes for players that have already learned how to play the game.
It isn’t going to be the next big esport just yet, though. While Minecraft Legends has a PvP mode, it doesn’t affect the campaign or future matches. High-scoring PvP players won’t receive special rewards that give them an advantage over those who don’t. Minecraft Legends has a matchmaking system that tries to match players of similar skill together, but there isn’t a scoring or ranking system that you build up over time either. In short, it’s just for fun.
“We wanted to create a clean new experience and keep it a little bit more casual for all the players to be able to play together,” said Ries.
Ries explains that a four-player team can tackle a number of strategies, each with different roles assigned to its members. For example, two players can start gathering resources right away. Meanwhile, a third person can attack a Piglin base to gather Prismarine, one of the game’s most important resources for leveling. The fourth person can protect the team’s base from possible invaders and build it up with the resources that their teammates gather.
4. You don’t need to explore, but you should
Developers suggest exploring the world outside of the main storyline. For example, players might discover new mounts like the Brilliant Beetle, which enables them to climb walls and attack from different angles that they wouldn’t be able to with a standard mount. Other mounts include perks like the ability to quickly move across water, plant flowers with every step, and others we have yet to uncover.
Players can also find blueprints for structures like towers, which they can then build to help protect bases and villages in ways that wouldn’t be possible without them.
5. Piglins just happened to be the villains
Many Minecraft Legends allies aren’t so friendly in Minecraft vanilla. Minecraft players might have unpleasant memories of fending off Creepers, Skeletons, and Zombies in the original game. However, they join forces with you in Minecraft Legends.
So why Piglins? Well, as per Ries, they just happened to be a new enemy that the team was developing near the same time Minecraft Legends was in its infancy.
Minecraft Legends launches on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on April 18, 2023.
