The best-selling video game of all time is moving from the virtual to the physical. Minecraft World, a permanent Greater London theme park based on the game, is scheduled to open in 2027. The project represents a £50 million investment from Merlin Entertainments and Mojang Studios, marking the first major theme park attraction dedicated to the blocky universe that has dominated gaming for over a decade.
The new land will be situated within Chessington World of Adventures, a theme park with a built-in zoo, accessible 35 minutes by direct train from London's Waterloo station. For Merlin, the world's second-largest theme park operator, the project represents a calculated expansion into gaming intellectual property. It is a collaboration between Microsoft-owned Minecraft maker Mojang Studios and theme park giant Merlin Entertainments, the owner of the Legoland theme parks.
The physical park's design takes a notably different approach from typical video game adaptations. Rather than importing characters and storylines from Minecraft's 2025 feature film, developers are crafting an experience that mirrors how players actually engage with the game itself. The developers emphasise that every time someone plays Minecraft, they have agency and choose how to play, so the park experience focuses on that principle rather than movie IP.
The land will include new attractions such as a world-first Minecraft coaster, themed retail and dining, plus a host of fan favourites from the Minecraft universe. More specifically, the park will feature the world's first Minecraft rollercoaster and the world's biggest Minecraft retail store, along with Minecraft-themed dining which has raised interesting questions about what food from the Minecraft world would actually be appetising. The partnership extends to collaboration with a selection of iconic Minecraft creators to help bring the universe to life in the most authentic way possible for the game's global community of fans.
The project was announced during Minecraft Live 2026, Mojang's annual livestream event where major game announcements occur. Industry observers note that the theme park expansion fits a broader strategy: as traditional gaming engagement matures, publishers are seeking new revenue streams through physical experiences. The investment reflects confidence in Minecraft's enduring appeal across age groups, something the 2025 film's box office performance evidently reinforced.
Whether the execution matches the ambition remains an open question. Theme parks built around video game properties face inherent challenges: translating virtual freedom into curated physical spaces, managing massive crowds in themed environments, and maintaining authenticity for a community notoriously protective of their beloved games. Yet Merlin's experience operating major attractions across multiple brands, combined with Mojang's deep understanding of community expectations, suggests this partnership has the resources to get it right. For Australian gamers unlikely to travel to Greater London, the initiative signals the continued maturation of gaming as entertainment infrastructure worthy of major capital investment.
Minecraft World's 2027 opening arrives as gaming IP increasingly anchors the physical entertainment economy. The question for Merlin and Mojang is simple but consequential: can they build something that feels like stepping into the game itself, rather than stepping into a theme park themed around the game. If they succeed, other publishers will inevitably follow.