New £50m theme park land based on major video game to open in the UK – world’s first | UK | News
A first-of-its-kind event dedicated to the best-selling video game of all time is to open at a UK theme park. Chessington World of Adventures on the outskirts of London will be home to the world’s first Minecraft theme park land.
The £50 million World of Minecraft will include the first Minecraft roller coaster, as well as themed shops and dining venues. Fans will be able to participate in “interactive adventures” as part of the event, which is expected to open in 2027. The developers say it will also feature “epic block-built gaming landscapes” in a world inspired by Minecraft’s most popular biomes, mobs, and items.
The project is a collaboration between Merlin Entertainments, which owns Chessington and other theme parks such as Legoland and Thorpe Park, and Mojang Studios, the company behind Minecraft.
Minecraft creators will work with Merlin and Mojang to bring this experience to life.
Angela Jobson, senior vice president of global brand Merlin Entertainments, said: “We are thrilled to bring the creativity, daring adventures and incredible fun of Minecraft to life in a theme park for the first time at Chessington World of Adventures.
“Minecraft World will allow friends and families to play, explore and create together on a truly epic scale. Working closely with Mojang Studios, we are meticulously creating an authentic world that the global community of Minecraft fans will want to dive into and experience the game in a whole new way.”
Torfi Frans Olafsson, Minecraft’s senior creative director of entertainment, said: “World of Minecraft represents a meaningful milestone in our ongoing journey to expand the Minecraft universe.
“We’re so excited to partner with Merlin Entertainments to create a place where you can truly be in the Minecraft Overworld and have an adventure of your own with family and friends.
“Merlin Entertainments and the team at Mojang have worked hard to create an immersive, authentic and welcoming experience, and we can’t wait for our community to experience it.”
Minecraft was first released in 2011 and is the best-selling video game of all time, played by millions of people every day.
The £15 million World of PAW Patrol will open at the park this spring and feature four vehicles.
