Microsoft has revealed that it is developing an augmented reality 10th-anniversary version of Minecraft called Minecraft Earth, to be released on iOS and Android.

The Seattle company said: “We can think of no better way to celebrate our 10-year anniversary than finally being able to tell you about our augmented reality mobile game “Minecraft Earth” which will be free-to-play on both iOS and Android. This is Minecraft like you’ve never experienced it before, bringing you the best of Minecraft in real life!”

Microsoft went into further detail about the game: “Here are some of the things you’ll be able to experience: Go on Adventures: In “Minecraft Earth,” you’ll go out in the real world to find small clusters of blocks, chests or mobs called Tappables. As you walk, you will also find adventures which are small slices of Minecraft worlds that you play in life-size AR – your sidewalk becomes a mine where there may be diamonds under your feet, or your local park may have Minecraft trees where skeletons lurk, ready for a skirmish! Players will collect resources, fight mobs, and gain experience points to progress in their career.

“Collect, explore and survive: “Minecraft Earth” features many of the Vanilla Minecraft mobs that our players know and love, along with new ones we can’t wait to reveal. Over time, players will get the chance to discover and collect unique variants and use them to populate builds, as well as gather resources and take on nearby challenges. Experience your creations all around you: Players can build their own permanent creations in “Minecraft Earth” through Build Plates – the best implementation of the creative spirit of the Vanilla game. Build in small, tabletop-sized environments where you can interact from above, or place your Build Plates on the ground to see your creations outside in life-size scale.”

Minecraft Earth will also support: “Collaborative multiplayer: optimised for social multiplayer experiences, anyone with an AR-capable smartphone and “Minecraft Earth” installed will be able to join your session quickly and have fun together.”

According to Microsoft, a closed beta for Minecraft Earth will take place: “This Summer”; you can sign up for that here. For more general Minecraft info, head for the venerable voxel-based game’s website.