Minecraft theme parks are coming to the US and UK from Merlin Entertainments, the company behind Legoland, Alton Towers and Madame Tussauds.
Mincraft theme parks will be built at existing Merlin locations in 2026 or 2027, with additional locations around the world to follow. It’s not yet clear which locations the Minecraft attractions will be built in, but Merlin said it will invest more than £85 million ($110 million) in the first two.
Merlin wants to “bring Minecraft adventures to life,” the company said. “This will include the development of first-of-its-kind hospitality, retail and Minecraft-inspired food and beverage concepts, as well as exciting experiences including a Minecraft-inspired ride through Merlin locations in the two countries.”
The theme parks will be built in partnership with Minecraft developer Mojang to “ensure authenticity,” and the locations will include “touchpoints” where fans can interact and unlock content from the game itself. A visualization of what the Minecraft theme park will look like can be seen above.
The announcement comes as Minecraft continues to expand its brand beyond what is already one of the most popular games of all time. Lego Minecrat and other toys have been around for years, although a live-action movie starring Jack Black will strengthen the brand when it arrives on April 4, 2025.
“Partnering with Merlin Entertainments is an extremely exciting step for us at Mojang Studios,” commented Kayleen Walters, vice president of gaming franchise development at Microsoft.
“Merlin’s experience in creating world-class attractions makes them the perfect partner to help us bring Minecraft to life in new and immersive ways in permanent locations around the world. Our vast and diverse community is always looking for new opportunities to discover and engage with Minecraft, and we’re excited to create touchpoints around the world that will surprise and delight them. These new, real-world Minecraft experiences will not only grow our community, but also offer fans many more opportunities to immerse themselves in the world of Minecraft in their own way. I never imagined.”
Video games are increasingly entering the theme park space, and Nintendo is leading the effort through its Super Nintendo World locations around the world. These are also constantly evolving, and soon Donkey Kong will be added to the mix.
Ryan Dinsdale is a freelance reporter for IGN. He will talk about The Witcher all day long.
