Minecraft isn’t all building houses and digging holes.
Mojang has announced new content out today for Minecraft Realms, a subscription service for the block-building game on PC that costs $7 a month. It allows players to create their own private servers, but it also gives them access to minigames and maps. It also gives Mojang a new revenue stream for a hit that has already sold more 100 million copies on PC, home gaming consoles, and mobile.
The new maps include the Big Giant Lightshow, a 20 minute musical experience synced up with the game world that Mojang is introducing as the first in a new “experiences” category. These aren’t minigames — they’re more like music shows or roller coasters that you can enjoy inside Minecraft.
If you want something a bit more traditional, you can also play the Battle of the Gods minigame, a new class-based brawler.
“Play as one of many gods, each with their own special powers,” Mojang details. “Blast people into the air, launch a ranged fireball attack, but whatever you do, make sure that you keep your eyes on the prize: grabbing the three relics and returning them to your home biome. Battle of Gods also features a single-player mode, based on the multiplayer, so that you can get to know the terrain and practice with the map’s innovative ability system.”
You can learn about the other new maps, including one that lets you play a board game inside Minecraft, on Mojang’s site.