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IndieGames.com Podcast #19: Bennett Foddy

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IndieGames.com is presented by the UBM TechWeb Game Network, which runs the Independent Games Festival & Summit every year at Game Developers Conference. The company (producer of the Game Developers Conference series, Gamasutra.com and Game Developer magazine) established the Independent Games Festival in 1998 to encourage innovation in game development and to recognize the best independent game developers.

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Official Minecraft iOS Edition Coming Later This Year

February 21, 2011 1:16 PM | Michael Rose

I visited the Mojang offices a few days ago, seeking secrets, wealth and free stuff. Wealth mainly. Of those secrets divulged, I can reveal one today - an official iPhone and iPad version of Minecraft is currently in the works.

As I've reported over on sister site Gamasutra, the port is being handled by Aron Neiminen, a new addition to the Mojang squad, and is due for release sometime later this year. The touch-screen version won't receive all of the same updates as the PC and Mac editions, but rather will get the updates that "make sense", according to Notch aka Markus Persson.

There'll be more coming over the next couple of weeks from my trip to Sweden, so make sure you watch out for it.

Tags: iphone,minecraft

Categories: Mobile

mobile

17 Comments

It should be enough, having something like a map viewer, where you can watch other players with a flying air camera.
Too complicated to play it directly/code it.

Thorus | February 21, 2011 1:52 PM

I think it wouldn't be too hard to make it playable with a touch screen. Minecraft's controls can be pretty simple. The complexity comes from your actions depending on what thing you have in your hands and what's in front of you.

ChrisGW | February 21, 2011 2:06 PM

Would be cool if you can share your account and worlds cross-device. Otherwise it'll probably be typical iOS fare: nice to have a mobile version but i'll be more limited and has your own fingers in front of the screen.

Bart | February 21, 2011 2:11 PM

No Android love? Even though app development for it is Java based?

Mike | February 21, 2011 2:37 PM

I got minecraft viewer thats on the app store atm and whilst its good, I do want to be able to play a bit more

Rob Sammons | February 21, 2011 3:49 PM

@Mike

I assume they're porting it to iPhones rather than Android due to its inherent fragmentation.

Anonymous Poster | February 21, 2011 4:55 PM

at the risk of sounding like a fanboy, i giggled audibly at the potential contained in this announcement.

Nick Esposito | February 21, 2011 4:56 PM

Looking at the name Aron Neiminen, I'm quite sure it's supposed to be Nieminen. And possibly Aaro instead of Aron, but that I can't be sure about.

Hempuli | February 21, 2011 5:20 PM

@Anonymous Poster

Steve Jobs couldn't have said it better himself.

Injm | February 22, 2011 3:01 AM

Android port confirmed, over at Gamasutra and elsewhere.

James | February 22, 2011 3:41 AM

Coming to my country? Cool! What's your travel plan? If you come to the south of Sweden I could gladly house you for a day or two and show you around town with a few beers, play games, and let you delve into my secret archive of unreleased music! :)

SoulEye | February 22, 2011 1:20 PM

Sorry man, I already went last weekend :)

M Rose | February 22, 2011 1:22 PM

@Injim

I'm going to assume that was not a jab at me erroneously assuming I am a rampant Apple fanboy.

Like it or not, iOS devices make up only 26% of the market share but make the greatest profits from software. Regardless of what you think of them as a consumer, it is on an iPhone that a dev would make the most money.

None of this is to say that Android fragmentation is particularly bad, but it sure isn't helping devs make money.

Anonymous Poster | February 22, 2011 1:28 PM

Of course none of this matters if what James says is true.

Anonymous Poster | February 22, 2011 1:29 PM

I can't imagine this selling as well without the editors.

Bob | February 22, 2011 4:50 PM

Hey that reminds me - when are you going to talk about FortressCraft?

Bob | February 22, 2011 10:47 PM

They are making it for Android too, by the way.

asd | February 23, 2011 5:52 PM