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In the past few years, we have seen video games expand outwards into all sorts of mediums, from films, to TV shows and even theme park attractions. Taking a page out of the Super Nintendo World book, Minecraft has now penned a deal to open a bunch of theme park attractions – starting in 2026.
As reported by The Guardian, Microsoft has made a deal with Europe’s biggest theme park operator ‘Merlin Entertainment’ to bring Minecraft-themed attractions to various locations around the world.
Starting with the UK and US, more than £85 million is being invested into two Minecraft-themed locations “in either an existing theme park or as new city centre attractions;” which are set to go public sometime in 2026/27.
With more than 135 attractions under its umbrella, Merlin Entertainment have big plans for the long-term future of its Minecraft attractions, with the report claiming that the ‘Adventures Made Real’ partnership will expand to even more countries/regions over time.
Speaking on this deal, Kayleen Walters – the vice-president of franchise development for gaming at Microsoft – said “We are everywhere digitally, Merlin is everywhere physically. It is about how do we expand Minecraft beyond the game. Mojang and Microsoft are experts on Minecraft and the brand, Merlin are the experts on location-based experiences; it is a shared vision.”
As mentioned, this isn’t the first video game-based theme park to open, with the aforementioned Super Nintendo World having been in operation for a few years now across Japan and the US.
The popularity of Minecraft extends far beyond the game itself, and so this most recent deal could wind up being highly lucrative for both Microsoft and Merlin Entertainment. We will have to wait and see.
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KitGuru says: What do you think of the announcement? Will it be as successful as Super Nintendo World? What other franchises have the reach to open dedicated theme park attractions? Let us know down below.
