Minecraft is Finally Coming to Nintendo Wii U

Mojang developer Jeb Bergensten releases a video confirming that Minecraft will finally be coming to Nintendo Wii U, and just in time for the holiday season.

Mojang has now confirmed that the popular block-based builder will finally arrive on the Nintendo Wii U this December. The announcement was made by Mojang in an official video, where lead developer Jeb Bergensten closed out a faux interview with the surprise announcement.

Minecraft will be releasing for the Wii U on December 17th, just in time for the holiday season. The company only confirmed that it would arrive as a purchasable title on the eShop, so those looking to buy it as a Christmas gift needn’t worry about wrapping paper.

Gamers looking to play Minecraft on the Wii U will have to shell out more cash compared to other console gamers, as the Nintendo edition will retail for a relatively hefty $29.99, whilst the Xbox One and PS4 versions sell for less at $19.99. Granted, the Wii U version will come with 6 add-on DLC skin bundles already included, but considering skins have always been free for PC players, that’s not much of an incentive to purchase the game at a higher price.

Fans can take a look at Jeb’s announcement video below, where they take a moment to talk about upcoming features in the PC release before getting down to the reveal:

Mojang also confirmed that more Minecraft content packs would be arriving to the Wii U in the near future, so those looking to purchase things like Nintendo-centric character skins will probably be able to do so sooner rather than later. Gamers from other consoles routinely get brand-specific downloadable content, and considering how easy it is for companies to make, it would be a baffling decision for Nintendo not to offer gamers the ability to mine dressed as Mario or Luigi.

As expected, the game will feature off-TV play, so gamers can continue playing on the GamePad while other family members take over the television. The studio also promised to keep supporting the core game with free updates, much like they do with the other console versions. PC Gamers still get access to the most updated version of the game ahead of time, and that won’t change, but it’s great to see that the popular building game will be available across all consoles.

Markus ‘Notch’ Persson, the creator of the game, recently commented that he thought it would be neat to see Steve as a Smash Bros character, so perhaps this announcement is the big catalyst in such a development. Only time will tell if Nintendo and Mojang evolve a larger partnership beyond launching the game on their console, but either way, everyone wins.

What do you think about Mojang finally bringing Minecraft to a Nintendo platform?

Minecraft is now officially available for iOS, Android, PC, Linux, Mac, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Vita, and Nintendo Wii U.

Movie theaters host youth league for Minecraft gamers

(Photo : Super League Gaming | Tech Times)

Movie theaters are hosting a Youth League for Minecraft gamers, allowing them to play competitively and get the chance to win a $5,000 scholarship.

A company called Super League Gaming is behind this exciting move, aiming to create e-sports playgrounds for kids. Movie theaters are a great choice because they have a large capacity and can fit tens or hundreds of young gamers and their parents.

During recent promotional activities, sold-out movie theaters have been packed with kids who brought their laptops to play Minecraft competitively, turning venues for movies into e-sports arenas.

Most Minecraft gamers in the Youth League are aged between seven and 14. Movie theaters host youth league events and while gamers do their thing on the Minecraft virtual playground, parents or other spectators can watch a third-person perspective on the big theater screen.

Super League Gaming has already hosted a number of preview Youth League events and is now gearing up to open its inaugural fall season in October. The season will last for six weeks and will have events in more than 30 cities, including Philadelphia, Chicago and Miami.

This is not just about fun, however, as kids get the chance to win a major prize. The top winner of the season will get a $5,000 scholarship, which can be a great incentive for kids and parents alike.

Super League Gaming has teamed up with several theaters for this Minecraft youth league, allowing gamers to play at AMC, Regal Cinemas, Cinemark and iPic theater chains.

The league chose Minecraft because it's not only widely popular, but it also encourages kids to work together and be creative. At the same time, Minecraft is also open-source, which means that Super League Gaming can tinker with the game whenever they see it as necessary. The Minecraft Youth League also allows gamers to socialize with more kids, which is something new generations could use more of.

photo provided by Super League Gaming shows gamers attending the first in-theater video game league for multi-players of all ages to compete in the Super League Gaming event held at Cinemark Playa Vista and XD Theater in Los Angeles. (Super League Gaming via AP)

Gamers play in teams of four to seven members and if they don't have their own team, Super League Gaming will place them in one with other kids. Interested gamers can now register for the six-week fall season, but it's not free. Early registration costs $80 for the six weeks, if purchased by Sept. 30. After that date, the price goes up to $100. Check out Super League's FaQ for more information.

YouTuber CaptainSparklez on Why You Should Let Your Kids Play Minecraft

Take it from YouTuber Jordan Maron (a.k.a. CaptainSparklez). The 23-year-old has almost 8.8 million subscribers on his YouTube channel and a staggering 1.8 billion views, largely through musical parodies of popular songs produced using the Minecraft game.

Maron talked to PEOPLE Now about, among other things, why he thinks kids playing Minecraft is actually a net positive. "I think, with Minecraft especially, there are definitely some educational components to it," he said. "You can have classes now that you take in various schools that are based in Minecraft that can teach you about computer engineering."

Everything Parents Need to Know About Minecraft (as Told by Kids)

It's one of the most popular games out there, but ask any parent of a Minecraft-lover what it's all about and you'll likely get a blank stare. That's OK, your kids know a Steve from the Ender Dragon and you know that the addictive building-blocks game is one of the few that successfully educate and entertain their players. But for parents who want to decipher their kids' conversations, Lego's here to help. In its new "What Parents Need to Know About Minecraft" tutorial, the brick-building company explains Minecraft lingo and characters and provides some important "Dos and Don'ts" for parents when it comes to Minecraft etiquette. Watch and absorb — and feel some satisfaction when you actually understand what your kids are talking about!

There’s someone creating the entire map of GTA 5 in Minecraft

Calling GTA 5’s playable map ‘massive’ would be an understatement. Which is what makes this undertaking glorious.

YouTuber N11cK has been working on creating the entire map of GTA 5 in Minecraft for eight months. He’s been uploading videos everyday starting with the map layout and working around the limitations of Minecraft, to the most recent ones in which entire sections were built.

For illustration, watch the very first video to get an idea of what he’s looking to do.

Now watch one of the more recent ones, that’s number 127, where you’ll really start to see the progress and appreciate all the details he’s keeping tracking of.

If you want to binge watch the whole series, here’s the full playlist.

Minecraft: Story Mode Release date Announced

Minecraft: Story Mode – The Order of the Stone will be Launching October 13 on Xbox One

Telltale Games has just revealed that the first episode of its Minecraft: Story Mode game will release digitally on October 13, 2015 on Xbox One.

As Jesse, you’ll embark on a perilous adventure across the Overworld, through the Nether, to the End, and beyond. Your decisions – what you say and do – drive the story around you, so choose wisely! A five-part episodic series.

Are you excited for this? We sure are….

“Working” iPhone built in Minecraft

How many times have you thought you’re sick of all the Minecraft creations only to see one more that totally blows your mind?

This iPhone built in Minecraft has a working home button, apps, clocks and even a music player. Unlike the real thing, this one will never get a cracked screen unless you want it to.