How to play Minecraft Earth

Augmented reality games took off after Pokémon Go. An established game title with a large player base was more likely to have a successful run with an AR game which is what led to Minecraft Earth.

Minecraft Earth

Minecraft Earth was an AR game that allowed users to build in the real world. Much like Pokémon Go, it required players to venture out into the real world, build things, and play with other players. The concept was great, and the game was well received but then the pandemic hit.

Minecraft Earth was officially discontinued on June 30, 2021. From the announcement, it seems unlikely that the game will be resurrected in the foreseeable future. 

Can I still play Minecraft Earth?

Minecraft Earth was released as an iOS and Android app. The iOS app has been scrapped and can no longer be downloaded from the App Store. The Android app is still listed on the Google Play store but installation is blocked. The apps will still run if you have them.

 For an iPhone, you will need to find the app’s IPA file. You can probably find this on torrent sites but the file may not be safe. If you happen to have a safe IPA copy of the app, you can install it by following these steps.

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac.
2. Open Finder.
3. Select your iPhone from the column on the left.
4. Once selected, drag & drop the IPA file onto the Finder window.
5. Wait for the app to sync and install to your iPhone.
6. On your iPhone, open the Settings app.
7. Go to General>Device Management.
8. Tap Trust app under Minecraft Earth.
9. You can now launch the app and play it.

For Android phones, since the app is still available on the Google Play store, you can download its APK file directly.

1. Visit the Minecraft Earth Google Play Store page.
2. Copy the link for the page.
3. Visit APK Pure and paste the link in the search bar.
4. Click the download link and save the APK file to your local disk.
5. Connect your Android phone and set the connection to file transfer mode.
6. Open File Explorer and go to This PC.
7. Open your Android device.
8. Paste the APK file to the Download folder.
9. Disconnect the Android phone from the computer.
10. Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
11. Go to Storage>Files.
12. Open the APK file and tap Install.
13. Confirm you want to install the app.
14. Once installed, you can launch it from the app drawer.

Conclusion

Minecraft Earth shut down because of the pandemic which is still raging in quite a few countries. It’s unlikely that the game will return until it is safe for people to go out and play in groups. It’s unfortunate since the game was engaging but safety comes first.