Block-breaking news: Notch teases a spiritual successor to Minecraft

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Minecraft is a force of nature that nearly every single person over the age of fifteen has either played or watched on YouTube, and its creator Markus Persson (better known as Notch) said he has “basically announced” Minecraft 2, or at least a game in a similar vein.

Shortly after the turn of the New Year, Notch posted a survey on X asking fans what type of game they would like to see him make next. The options were Minecraft 2 or a retro-inspired roguelike. Nearly a quarter of a million people voted, with the unsurprising majority asking for Minecraft 2.

A few days later, he responded to a question, saying he “basically announced Minecraft 2.” But it’s not that simple. Persson sold the rights to Minecraft and his company to Microsoft, and Minecraft still gets regular updates and content additions that keep it one of the most-played games in the world. This means that Persson can’t name the follow-up Minecraft 2, and he claims he couldn’t create any sort of game with terrain modification for a year after selling the company.

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I basically announced minecraft 2.

I thought that maybe people ACTUALLY do want me to make another game that's super similar to the first one, and I'm loving working on games again.

I don't super duper care exactly which game I make first (or even if I make more), but I do know…

— notch (@notch) January 3, 2025

Whatever Persson’s next title is, it legally can’t share the name of its predecessor, and he also said “I intend to do this in a way that in no way tries to sneakily infringe on the incredible work the Mojang team is doing.”

From the way he phrased his posts, it’s clear that the successor to Minecraft isn’t under development yet. He warns there’s a chance the game might not make it to release. Even if it does, this title isn’t something you should expect too soon — although the original Minecraft did release in early alpha within a year of Mojang’s founding.

Minecraft-style games have only grown in popularity throughout the years, so Persson has a rich playing field to draw inspiration from. Titles like Palworld, Terraria, and even Ark: Survival Evolved all have similar gameplay elements with significant differences in style, and a new game from the man who build Minecraft would be an interesting addition.

All mounts in Minecraft Legends and how to get them

Four players stand together in the 4v4 PvP mode of Minecraft Legends.

In yet another genre-mixup following Minecraft Dungeons, Minecraft Legends brings the open-world survival and building game to the RTS genre. Unlike most traditional RTS games, where you control the action from a detached, overhead perspective, this game keeps you in the action by giving you a character to control on the field itself. To keep the action fast-paced, and make sure you can easily control and order your mobs around, giving your character a mount is essential. Just like in the original game that inspired it, there are multiple creatures you can use as mounts, and they all behave and function differently. While the world in Minecraft Legends isn't randomly generated, it can still feel overwhelming trying to find what you're looking for. Here are all the mounts you can ride in Minecraft Legends, what they do, and where to find them.
How to get every mount in Minecraft Legends

There are four different mounts you can tame and ride throughout your quest in Minecraft Legends. These include the horse, bird, beetle, and tiger. All you have to do to ride a new one is find it and press Swap Mount when near it, but finding them is the tricky part. Here's where each of them resides in the world, plus what makes them special.
Where to find the horse
You won't have to go looking for the horse since you begin the game with one. This is the classic mount and is made for getting you around the map much faster than on foot. The horse's special ability is being able to sprint indefinitely at a high speed.
Where to find the bird
A bird may not sound like a creature you could ride, and yet here we are. These rainbow-colored birds are quite small, but not hard to find in the Jagged Peaks biome. Keep an eye on your map for a clue as to when you're close to one since they will automatically be marked for you. Once you've mounted a bird, you will be able to jump higher than any other mount, plus slowly glide from any height by holding the jump button.
Where to find the beetle
Perhaps an even stranger choice for a mount, the beetle is much bigger than their real-life counterparts. These insects are native to the Jungle biomes, so venture into the trees to snag one. The Beetle has two special attributes, the first it shares with the bird which is being able to glide by holding jump in the air. The beetle's unique skill is that it can climb up any surface. So, while slow, it is very versatile and strategic.
Where to find the tiger
Now we're talking! If you want to play He-Man and ride your very own tiger, get yourself on a safari to the Dry Savanna biome to track one down. The tiger has the most simple ability, which is that it is simply the fastest mount you can get. However, this speed does come with a downside. Unlike the Horse, the Tiger doesn't have infinite stamina, so you will need to slow down eventually.

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Five engaging RTS games to play after Minecraft Legends

Pikmin in Pikmin 3 Deluxe.

Minecraft Legends launches today and provides a great jumping-on point for the real-time strategy game genre. Although RTS games can be quite intimidating to get into, after playing Minecraft Legends, you should have some familiarity with action-strategy RTS games that have the player command a group of minions, as well as more traditional titles in the genre centered around accruing resources to build up bases and take down your opponents.
Now that you know those core ideas, you should have a much more enjoyable experience exploring the rest of the genre through various other titles across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. So, once you’re done with Minecraft Legends, consider checking out one of these five games.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe

If Minecraft Legends’ action-strategy setup that had you commanding units as an active character within the game’s world was most appealing to you, then you’ll want to check out other games within this RTS subgenre. The most notable series of this type is Pikmin, and the most readily available game in that series is Pikmin 3 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch. This game follows three astronaut captains stranded on an alien planet who must work with the titular carrot-like creatures that inhabit it to find enough food to save their own home planet.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe goes all-in on the unit-commanding aspect of Minecraft Legends, as you’ll be commanding multiple types of different Pikmin to collect things, fight enemies, and help you explore beautifully handcrafted levels. It has the cuteness, charm, and gameplay intuitiveness you’d expect from a Nintendo game and is a must-play for action-strategy RTS fans. Pikmin 3 Deluxe is available now exclusively on Nintendo Switch. You should also be on the lookout for Pikmin 4, which releases for Nintendo Switch on July 21.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

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Our most anticipated Xbox Series X games of 2023

Spaceship on planet in Starfield.

Next year is shaping up to be the most important for Xbox ever. A number of significant titles that could finally give Microsoft a foothold during this console generation are scheduled to release in 2023. We'll also likely learn whether or not Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard will go through. As such, there's a lot for Xbox fans to look forward to in 2023.
Xbox's 2023 console-exclusive slate is shaping up to be fairly diverse, featuring everything from cinematic platformers to RPGs to real-time strategy games. It's a far cry from the indie-dominated exclusive lineup of 2022. We've rounded up eight games set to define Xbox Series X's 2023 that fans should keep an eye on going into next year. We're only counting games with announced release windows, so titles like Senua's Saga: Hellblade II and Avowed won't show up on this list. Still, there are plenty of 2023 games for Xbox fans to get excited about. 
Planet of Lana -- spring 2023
Planet of Lana Xbox Game Pass Trailer
There are several 2D platformers coming exclusively to Xbox systems next year, like Replaced and The Last Case of Benedict Fox. The cinematic platformer that has stood out the most to us, though, has been Planet of Lana. Developed by Wishfully and published by Thunderful, this atmospheric, cinematic 2D platformer is of note because it's a gorgeous sci-fi adventure about a boy and a cute alien creature trying to survive an invasion. Planet of Lana's beautiful visuals remind me of Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and its gameplay harks back to Inside, so I'll eagerly be awaiting its release in spring 2023. 
Minecraft Legends -- spring 2023 
Minecraft Legends – Announce Trailer
Minecraft Dungeons was an enjoyable Diablo-like spinoff of the Minecraft formula, and now Mojang and Blackbird Interactive are taking a page out of Pikmin's book with Minecraft Legends. Set to release in spring 2023, Minecraft Legends is a real-time action strategy game where players defend the Minecraft Overworld from Piglins by commanding hordes of recognizable Minecraft creatures. Minecraft Legends looks like it will scratch that real-time action strategy itch as we wait for Pikmin 4, and will likely introduce a lot of new players to the genre. It is a multiplatform release, like all Minecraft titles, but its inclusion on Xbox Game Pass will make it a must-play Xbox Series X and S title in 2023. 
Forza Motorsport -- spring 2023
Forza Motorsport - Official Trailer - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022
Nearly three years after being announced in July 2020, we'll finally get our hands on the next mainline Forza game soon. It'll be interesting to see how Turn 10 Studios has evolved the formula in the wake of notable racing titles like Gran Turismo 7 and spinoff Forza Horizon 5. The new Forza Motorsport seems to be going all-out with its visuals, focusing on real-time ray tracing, dynamic time of day and weather, and high frame rates during races. Forza Motorsport will certainly be one of the prettiest games to ever release on Xbox Series X and S, so we definitely have our eye on it heading into its release next spring.
Redfall -- first half of 2023
Redfall - Official Into the Night Trailer
Originally slated to release in summer 2022, Redfall's delay really hurt Xbox's first-party prospects this year. That's one reason why we're interested to see how this vampiric cooperative shooter from Dishonored and Deathloop developer Arkane turns out when it releases in the first half of 2023. Arkane's switch from immersive sims to an open-world co-op shooter here is intriguing, so we're curious to see how they'll pull it off while still achieving satisfying horror undertones. Being the first brand-new Bethesda game to be an Xbox exclusive post-acquisition, Redfall is set to be a very meaningful release for Xbox Series X and S,
Starfield -- first half of 2023
Starfield: Official Gameplay Reveal
Starfield needs little introduction. Announced in 2018, players have been hyped for this brand-new sci-fi IP from Bethesda Game Studios for years and want it more than ever after its release date of 2022 was delayed. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the most influential RPGs of all time, and Fallout 4 isn't too shabby either, so it's no surprise that we're excited to see what that team can do with a sci-fi experience that has taken eight years to create. Starfield is set to be a massive game with thousands of explorable planets, a grandiose story, shipbuilding, base building, and lots of RPG systems and combat. It will be one of the biggest AAA releases of 2023 period, let alone the biggest on Xbox. Even if no other Xbox Series X and S games are on your radar heading into 2023, keep an eye on Starfield when it releases in the first half of the year. 
Hollow Knight: Silksong -- first half of 2023
Hollow Knight: Silksong - Xbox Game Pass Reveal Trailer - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022
Hollow Knight is one of the best Metroidvania games ever made, so it's understandable why we're quite excited for a sequel that follows the character of Hornet in a whole new kingdom. While this game will also be available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5, its day one availability on Xbox Game Pass will make Xbox the premier console on which to play Hollow Knight: Sillksong. It appeared during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase this year, suggesting it will release sometime in the first half of 2023 despite developer Team Cherry's relative secrecy surrounding it. Regardless, anyone who loves of a good Metroidvania will want to check out Hollow Knight: Silksong whenever it launches in 2023. 
Ravenlok -- first half of 2023
Ravenlok - Official Announce Trailer - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022
Although we haven't heard much about the game, Ravenlok's unique style has us eagerly awaiting its release on Xbox Series X in 2023. Ravenlok is an action RPG with an Alice in Wonderland-like story where a girl is whisked away to a magical kingdom ruled by a cruel queen. Although its gameplay doesn't look like anything too out of the ordinary, the game features beautiful voxel visuals that get a shocking amount of detail out of what are normally crude geometric shapes. Ravenlok's beautiful visuals certainly will keep it on our radar when it launches day one on Xbox Game Pass. 
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 -- December 2023
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — Gameplay Trailer
The postapocalyptic shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been a long time coming and will hopefully finally be released in 2022. It's a survival-horror shooter set in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, following players as they navigate through the radiation and horrific enemies there in search of riches. The looks we've gotten at the game so far are thick with atmosphere and appear really promising. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has unfortunately suffered some massive delays due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has severely impacted the development team at GSC Game World. Still, the studio is adamant about releasing it on Xbox Series X and S in December 2023, and we can't wait to see the results of what this team has been working on. 

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