Minecraft Education Archives

AppWizard

July 7, 2026

Minecraft Preview 26.40.30

Players can find abandoned camps in the Pale Garden and Flower Forest biomes, which include a one-time use Straw Bed crafted from three hay bales. Cushions, available in 16 colors and crafted from three wool slabs, allow players to sit comfortably but are not currently spawning in abandoned camps. Various gameplay and graphical improvements have been made, including fixes for crafting recipes, ambient sounds, and rendering issues. Additionally, there are updates to the user interface, technical features, and stability enhancements, such as improved server self-repair capabilities and bug fixes related to commands and entity behavior.

AppWizard

June 26, 2026

New York Has a Gamer Mayor Now — and a $2.6 Billion Game Industry to Match

In June, New York City celebrated the NYC Battle of the Boroughs Champions at a press conference on June 10, recognizing the winners of the 2026 Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs. Among the winners was Team Hyper Pigmentation, an all-girl squad that won back-to-back titles. The city's digital games sector supports approximately 7,600 jobs, contributing billion in wages and generating a total economic output of billion. The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment (MOME) has established the Game Development Industry Council, launched the NYC Summer of Games campaign, and funded grants for developers. New York City's digital gaming ecosystem has an annual economic impact of .6 billion, with around 380 digital gaming firms, 65 percent of which are small or indie studios. The share of open roles in the gaming industry increased from 15.1 percent to 29.2 percent between Q3 2024 and Q1 2026. The Summer of Games features events from May through September, including the NYC Video Game Festival and the Tribeca Games Gallery. Mayor Zohran Mamdani is recognized as the first "Gamer Mayor," engaging with gaming culture and platforms like Twitch. Jones-Harvey emphasizes the importance of addressing affordability issues to retain talent in the gaming industry. She advocates for recognizing video games as a vital part of New York City's cultural landscape, alongside music, film, and theater.

AppWizard

May 30, 2026

Kingston kids to compete in Ontario’s top Minecraft championships

More than 100 students will participate in the largest Minecraft esports competition in Ontario at Humber Polytechnic on Saturday. Two teams from King’s Town School, the Pixelites and the TerrorBytes, will compete in the Ontario Scholastic Esports Association (OSEA) Minecraft Provincial Championship against 16 other teams. The competition is for students in Grades 5 to 8 and involves collaborative building challenges using Minecraft Education. The Pixelites include Oliver Armstrong, Ralph Bobrow, and Harlo Garwood, while the TerrorBytes consist of Kieran McCabe, Charlie Neary, and Jackson Geen. This year's qualifying task required teams to create an Olympic-themed parkour course. The event aims to connect gaming with curriculum-based learning and skills development. Teams will have 30 to 40 minutes to complete each of the four build challenges, with one scenario remaining a mystery. Medals will be awarded to top teams, but the focus is on skill development and confidence-building. The event will be livestreamed for families and school communities.

AppWizard

May 16, 2026

All-girls Kingsbridge Heights team shines in NYC Minecraft sustainability competition

A group of six fifth-grade girls from P.S. 86 Kingsbridge Heights School won the Bronx championship in the Minecraft Education “Battle of the Boroughs,” competing against 3,395 students from 679 teams. They reached the Mayor’s Cup Final, where they presented a design for a cleaner, safer version of the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center. The team utilized Microsoft’s MakeCode for coding and emphasized teamwork and communication during their project. Key roles included Leeah Gonzalez as the speaker, Yafatou Bayo as the primary coder, and Zurisadai Quiroga-Vazquez as the presenter. The girls created a virtual version of their school with sustainable features and prioritized accessibility. Their teacher noted significant personal growth among the girls throughout the competition.

AppWizard

May 12, 2026

City Life Org – Thousands Gather at NYC Video Game Festival to Crown 2026 Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs and NYC Collegiate Esports Champions

The 2nd Annual NYC Video Game Festival took place on May 9, attracting 2,000 attendees. The festival included esports competitions, indie game demonstrations, drone soccer, and arcade classics. The Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs Esports Finals honored student achievements, with team Hyper Pigmentation from PS 889 winning in the Elementary division, NEST+ from Manhattan winning in the Middle School division, and Tottenville from Staten Island winning in the High School division. The NYC Collegiate Esports Circuit Finals crowned The City College of NY as the League of Legends champion and Pace University as the Valorant champion, with a shared prize pool of ,000. The BOTB competition has engaged over 15,000 NYC Public School students since its inception, with a record 3,395 participants in 2026, including a 44% increase in high school submissions. The festival also featured a screening of a documentary about the Battle of the Boroughs.

AppWizard

May 8, 2026

Polygon’s Minecraft Documentary Battle of the Boroughs Teaser

Polygon has released a documentary titled "Battle of the Boroughs: The Kids Who Build New York City in Minecraft," directed by Simone de Rochefort. The film focuses on the 2025 Battle of the Boroughs competition, organized by NYC Public Schools, which encourages students to use Minecraft Education to address societal issues like housing inequality and climate resilience. The competition involves a structured process leading to the Mayor's Cup finals, where students engage in block-building to explore urban dynamics. The documentary captures the students' experiences and projects throughout this initiative. The full 40-minute film premiered on May 6 and is available for viewing. A live screening will take place at the NYC Video Game Festival on May 9, alongside competitive gaming events.

AppWizard

May 4, 2026

Karl Jacobs Tops Minecraft Charts with New US Fan Push

Karl Jacobs is experiencing a resurgence in popularity in the United States, particularly among younger gamers, due to his recent Minecraft challenge streams that focus on intricate redstone contraptions and survival worlds. This has led to increased viewership on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, with significant engagement during evening hours. His content is praised for its creativity, and discussions on social media highlight his engaging streaming style. The timing of his resurgence aligns with Minecraft's popularity in schools and colleges, providing a stress-reliever for students. Fans can easily access highlights on TikTok, and his collaborations with creators like GeorgeNotFound and Sapnap contribute to the dynamic Minecraft scene. His use of shaders and mods appeals to tech-savvy gamers, and community discussions reflect his humor and relatable gameplay. Future interactive events are anticipated to maintain high engagement levels. Additionally, his connections to Minecraft Education Edition and podcast appearances further enhance his relevance in the gaming community.

AppWizard

April 9, 2026

Amman students use Minecraft to redesign their city

Students will collaborate in teams using the Minecraft Education platform to reimagine public spaces, focusing on creating a climate-resilient, inclusive, and food-secure future. They will identify local environmental challenges, propose innovative solutions, and utilize digital tools to visualize and share their concepts. This initiative aims to enhance teamwork, problem-solving skills, and understanding of sustainability and urban planning.

AppWizard

April 3, 2026

IAEA Launches Global Student Challenge to Design Sustainable Uranium Mines Using Minecraft

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has launched a global competition for university students to design and simulate sustainable uranium mining operations using the Minecraft Education platform. Teams of two to four members must create a comprehensive mining system that includes ore extraction and yellowcake production, incorporating advanced technologies such as robotics, smart sensors, and optimized processes. Submissions are due by 1 July 2026, and the winning team will present their project at the International Conference on Fuel Supply Chain for Sustainable Nuclear Power Development in Vienna, Austria, from 13–15 October 2026. Participants must submit an entry form, a university enrollment confirmation letter, a 5–7 minute video demonstrating their mining concept, and a sustainability commitment statement. The competition aims to inspire students to pursue careers in uranium exploration and mining amid rising global demand for nuclear energy. Modern uranium mining is increasingly adopting technologies to enhance safety and minimize environmental impact, with a focus on efficiency and sustainability.

AppWizard

February 25, 2026

Proton beam therapy comes to Minecraft to help children prepare for cancer treatment at The Christie

Young cancer patients can now explore a virtual representation of the proton beam therapy centre at The Christie in Manchester through Minecraft, marking the first instance of a working NHS health facility recreated in the game. This initiative, developed by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Microsoft with input from clinical specialists, aims to familiarize children with the therapy environment to reduce anxiety before treatment. The virtual centre includes key areas such as reception, waiting areas, imaging rooms, and play preparation rooms, and features interactive elements like functioning MRI machines and hidden rooms. The Minecraft environment is scaled up to five times the actual centre for easier navigation. The project was primarily developed by Microsoft volunteers and has received positive feedback from young patients like 10-year-old Ramatulaye, who found it helpful in understanding the hospital layout.