You build stuff in Minecraft Legends by strumming your lute and making friends

Mojang showed more of their upcoming action strategy spin-off Minecraft Legends at Minecraft Live today, including an early look at the game’s four-player co-op. We also found out more about what your hero uses to battle against the piglin invasion, and met some of the game’s key allies. Take a look at the trailer below to get a fresh look at to expect when Legends launches in 2023.

I’d already sat in on a briefing about Legends earlier this week with Narrative Design Director, Kevin Grace, who insisted that the game is primarily about “making friends”. Don’t worry, you are thinking of the right Minecraft spin-off here – your character will still be thwacking piglins. Making friends is easy with the three tools Legends puts at your disposal though, namely the Flame Of Creation, Banner Of Courage, and a magical lute. The flame can spawn friendly mobs, while the banner gathers and commands these pals. Grace said music was important to how Legends plays too, and strumming the right tune on the lute is useful in summoning allies to gather resources and build for you.

Legends’ version of the Overworld is under attack when you start the game, and Grace showed some more of the various types of piglins you’ll encounter in battle. Rather than the “ugly-cute” creatures of vanilla Minecraft, Grace said these piglins were more “dangerous-cute” and perfectly happy to stab your character. Each type of piglin will have their own personalities, combat styles, and bases to topple. We were also introduced to what Grace called the voices of the Overworld, the Hosts known as Foresight, Action, and Knowledge. These characters are the ones who give your character their tools, and will help guide you through Legends.

I’m not entirely sure why, but Legends really makes me think of a 3D version of Kingdom: New Lands. Maybe it’s the horse-riding player character, the towers constructed in the wilderness, or the bands of grimly cute enemies you need to sic your assembled straggling band of underlings on. Whatever it is, I’m digging it so far. It’s reassuring to know that Homeworld 3 devs Blackbird Interactive are working on the game alongside Mojang to bring that extra dose of strategy nous. Grace said the game places a greater emphasis on story than other Minecraft games, which is another appealing change.

We haven’t heard much about Minecraft Legends since Ed sat in with a preview build at Gamescom back in August, and was sold on its combination of strategy and blocks. “From what I gathered, your job here is less about dishing out the hardest hits like some unstoppable army commander, but to act as more of a support system for your troops,” he said. “They're the ones capable of toppling fortresses; you cleave through things in their way and make sure they're carrying out their tasks effectively.” You get by with a little help from your friends, I guess.

Minecraft Legends is due out in spring 2023 on Steam and the Microsoft Store. It’s also coming to PC Game Pass at launch.