Minecraft World to open at Chessington World of Adventures

The concept pictures show a cartoon style drawing of the theme park. There is a blocky earth structure in the centre which is grey, brown, green and blue squares. There are sketches of people walking around it. — Minecraft World is a £50m joint project between Mojang and Merlin Entertainments

A Minecraft attraction is due to open at UK theme park Chessington World of Adventures next year, the game's makers have announced.

Concept images of the £50m Minecraft World project show plans for a rollercoaster, dining areas and interactive exhibits inspired by the video game.

Merlin Entertainments, which also owns Alton Towers and Thorpe Park, said it chose Chessington, about 30 minutes outside London, to cater to international and local visitors.

It's the latest collaboration between the theme park giant, which has warned of a drop in demand, and an entertainment brand.

The company did not give new details on a US version of Minecraft World previously announced as part of the deal.

A sketch shows people walking around an area resembling a landscape from Minecraft built from blocks. It is populated with pigs, Creepers and bees from the game. — Concept pictures show outdoor areas populated by creatures from the game

Concept images of the attraction show areas modeled on the blocky landscapes and structures made famous by the video game.

They also show models of the various creatures that populate Minecraft's world - known to fans as "mobs" - including pigs and enemy characters Creepers and zombies.

An interior sketch shows passengers riding along a track lined with TNT blocks - one of the game's most recognisable materials.

First launched on PC in 2011, Minecraft has become one of the best-selling and most-played video games in the world, selling more than 300 million copies.

Its popularity on YouTube, which says videos related to the game have been viewed more than one trillion times, helped it to become a cultural phenomenon, inspiring merchandise and a box office-topping film last year.

Merlin also released footage of popular Minecraft content creators Grian, Aimsey, DanTDM and LDShadowLady taking a tour of the site where the park will be built.

Grian, Aimsey, DanTDM and LDShadowLady wear orange hi-vis vests and green safety helmets with Minecraft World logos on them. A woman also wearing safety gear shows them a large card with plans for the park. They are surrounded by building equipment and materials. — Four well-known Minecraft YouTubers were given a tour of the construction site

Kayleen Walters, Head of Mojang Studios, said the company had seen a growing appetite for Minecraft experiences from fans, and this led to the theme park collaboration.

"We know people want more of Minecraft. They want to be immersed in it in different ways," she said.

She said the creative team were conscious of players' high expectations and had built parts of the park in the game and workshopped designs with members of the Minecraft community.

They want visitors to feel like that have walked right into the game and for it to feel "authentic", she said.

"You're going to smell and taste and feel and touch and just be surrounded by all things Minecraft."

A carriage carries passengers on a track through a tunnel lined with life-sized TNT blocks often found in Minecraft. A zombie character lunges from the right of the picture, while a bright green Creeper waits in the distance. — A themed ride is set to be the focal point of the attraction

The two companies had previously revealed plans to collaborate on an attraction, and Angela Jobson from Merlin told BBC Newsbeat conversations on the project date back about eight years.

Merlin has faced complaints from customers about issues such as queues and ride closures at its recent Alton Towers opening weekend.

Jobson said it was still planning investment in its other parks and the company "wasn't pulling money just to put it into Minecraft".

But she insisted the new attraction would be "game changing" and elevate the park at Chessington.

"It just allows us to create something different for our guests, and a brand like Minecraft, which has sort of transcended being a game," she said.

Jobson said the goal was to create something that would appeal to all park visitors, but acknowledged "it's got to be really credible for people that know and love this game already".

Merlin will soon face competition from Universal Studios UK, which is expected to open near Bedford in 2031.

Jobson said the company "welcome the competition".

"We see that as being a really positive thing for the visitor economy in the UK," she said.

Video game and theme park crossovers

An image shows two riders inside a car on the Dragon's Fury ride as it speeds around a tight bend in a track. The car is almost at 90 degrees, with the riders facing the ground and smiling. The scene is illuminated by a dramatic red sunset. — Chessington World of Adventures has been operating since 1987

Minecraft World won't be the first theme park attraction inspired by a video game.

In 2021, Super Nintendo World opened at Universal Studios Japan, and was later replicated at its parks in the USA.

PokéPark Kanto - an attraction dedicated to Pokémon - also opened near Tokyo earlier this year.

Other attractions have also paired up with video game brands to attract visitors.

Recently London's National History Museum - recently named the UK's most popular tourist attraction, hosted a Pokémon pop-up shop, and the British Museum opened an Samurai-themed exhibit based on Assassin's Creed: Shadows.