Minecraft has always been much more than just a video game. For those of us who have spent years exploring its worlds and building with bricks, the Mojang-Microsoft game has become an endless space of possibilities. And now this global phenomenon is taking it a step further, preparing to conquer the physical world with an experience that promises to be as immersive as it is creative. Thanks to an agreement with Merlin Entertainments, Minecraft is coming to theme parks, hotels and stores around the world.

The deal, announced today, will see Merlin Entertainments invest more than $110 million inThe first two Minecraft-themed attractions will open in the UK and US between 2026 and 2027.. The initial locations, which will be in existing parks or new city centres, are part of a wider plan called “Adventures Made Real”, which is looking to expand to other countries and territories in the future. Merlin, known for its expertise in intellectual property (legoland, Peppa Pig), joins forces with Minecraft to bring to life a universe we’ve only imagined on screen until now.

The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for Minecraft, which continues to demonstrate its ability to reinvent itself. In 2023 the game reached the impressive milestone of 300 million copies soldwhich has cemented itself as the best-selling video game of all time, as we’ve already said here. In addition, it celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2024 with a player community that has not stopped growing, exceeding 140 million monthly users, as we highlight in this report. Agreement with Merlin, added to projects such as Minecraft moviewhich hits theaters next April, bolsters the franchise’s expansion beyond gaming, as we also explain in this article.

Since its launch in 2011 Minecraft has redefined what it means to play, build and collaborate. With its seemingly simple block mechanics, the game proved to be an unlimited canvas for creativity. Players of all ages have built everything from tiny houses to recreations of entire cities, historical monuments, and even space simulations. Not to mention that in addition to entertainment, it was and is an educational tool that offers more opportunities in this regard every day.

This jump from Minecraft to the real world, also known is to reach more regions in the futureis exceptional news for all of us who have enjoyed the world of dice on PC, console, smartphone, etc. and have been looking forward to seeing it jump to the big screen. And ever since I heard about these plans, I’ve been imagining myself not only in the attraction, but in the entire Minecraft theme park, and the idea fascinates me.