Xbox partners with the National Trust to recreate real-life castle ruins in Minecraft
If you build it, they will come.
Minecraft developer Mojang has teamed up with the National Trust to bring Corfe Castle to life inside the game.
Launching as part of The National Trust's Festival of Archeology, it's hoped the recreation will excite young people and get them more interested in historical landmarks, such as castles.
"A thousand years of history and we've re-imagined it all in Minecraft's The Wild Update," Xbox explained on Twitter. "With the help of [historian Alice Loxton] and [content creator GrianMC] we restored the ruins of National Trust's Corfe Castle back to its former glory."
The celebration doesn't stop there, though, and if you have nifty building skills, Xbox invites you to join the Corfe Castle server and do the same. Furthermore, "to support long-term positive impact of this project", a Minecraft: Education Edition package of the experience will be developed "benefiting children in classrooms across the UK".
"We are pleased to partner with Xbox and see young people engaging with the UK’s rich historical heritage through the help of technology," said Martin Papworth, an archeologist working at the National Trust. "Grian has done a brilliant job restoring Corfe Castle to its former glory. He not only accomplished an accurate recreation of the various historical styles within the castle grounds, but also combined it with his own imagination. We cannot wait to see more inspirational designs by more young minds."
"It was a great experience working with the National Trust to rebuild Corfe Castle in Minecraft," added Grian. "This project was right up my alley in terms of interests. I look forward to seeing how people rebuild the ruins in their own way. The fact that this will have an impact on education is what makes this project extra special for me. Using gaming to enhance learning is something I never experienced at school but I’m so glad that some students today get to."
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