Microsoft has opened pre-registration for Minecraft Earth, its upcoming augmented reality-powered spin on the blockbuster adventure series. Closed tests remain ongoing for iOS devices in five cities across the globe, with preparations now seemingly underway for a broader rollout in the weeks ahead.

Minecraft Earth pre-registration remains purely optional ahead of launch, given the free-to-play nature of the app once it makes a public launch. Dropping your interest locks you into future updates surrounding the game's launch, with a notification once available to download. However, pre-registration remains separate from existing closed beta signups, providing the chance to play early.

Related: A month with Minecraft Earth: Is it the next Pokémon GO?

The appearance of pre-registration also signals welcome news for Minecraft Earth beta applicants on Android, indicating tests will soon expand to the other side. Google Play Console guidelines mandate that developers must have an APK (Android's file format for mobile app distribution) uploaded to at least one release track to use the pre-register feature. These tracks provide means to serve closed tests of unreleased apps, indicating the promised Android beta test this summer isn't far away.

Minecraft Earth will require an Android device running Android 7 Nougat or later, alongside support for Android's ARCore augmented reality platform. Android's open nature makes it harder to identify all Android 7+ phones compatible, although most released in recent years are covered. You can check if your Android phone meets Minecraft Earth's requirements here.

Minecraft Earth tests have been underway for one month on iOS, providing a taste of the full experience. Tapping into physical location data, players scavenge resources in the real world, while leveraging mobile AR to scale towering structures. The game is shaping up as a natural extension of the block-building phenomenon, potentially mirroring the successes of Pokemon GO.

In the meantime, Minecraft Earth Android pre-registration is live via the Google Play Store.