Microsoft Teases a Minecraft Mobile AR Feature

Minecraft might be coming to the real world, through your mobile device. Microsoft's recent keynote video concluded with a teaser video, showing a "secret" app that displays Minecraft in AR.



The video was at the end of the Microsoft Build 2019 // Vision Keynote + Imagine Cup World Championship. In it, we see a man on a bench, looking at this phone. He sets it down to write some notes, and then leaves. Upon leaving, he accidentally takes the phone of the woman sitting next to him, instead of his own. The woman, who notices after the fact, looks at the phone to see the Minecraft pig being displayed on the pavement in front of her. The man then returns to take the phone back.

On the phone screen, the viewer is told to tune in on May 17 for more.

Our first thoughts fall to things like an AR mode for Minecraft, allowing players to interact with their buildable world but with a real-life backdrop. Though the odds are it will be something far less exciting. We're imagining something as mundane as the ability to view a collection of pre-generated scenes placed into your environment. Though the teaser appears to show an inventory bar, so maybe we're just cynical.

Whatever it is, we'll find out for sure next week.