Here's a look at Minecraft Legends' cross-platform PVP mode
Piglin the middle.
Tonight's Xbox Developer_Direct showcase has debuted footage of Minecraft Legends' PVP multiplayer mode, which will be included at launch as a separate part of game, distinct from its campaign.
In Minecraft Legends, PVP is a cross-platform affair for up to eight players, split into two teams. Each team's objective is to capture and destroy their opponent's base, while building up defences around their own.
As in the main Legends campaign, PVP areas are procedurally generated - a nod back to the vanilla Minecraft. Also included are the Piglins, PVE enemies who act as a third faction intent on frustrating both sides.
Each side's army and resources are shared among players on that team, which is handy for groups of players who like to share out responsibilities. Perhaps your preference is for building your base? Or exploring and gathering resources?
The second phase of each match arrives when players decide to begin attacking their opponent - potentially leading to a game of cat and mouse and players attempt to build their base up further to repel attacks, or build further offensive capabilities (such as a redstone siege cannon) that the opponent must scramble to defend from.
"We're targeting a 20-30 minute game experience, but because it is a procedurally generated world that will change based on the bespoke world that is created, the teams that are in it and people's strategy," executive producer Lee Pederson told me during a chat about the game's PVP mode. "But that's what we're aiming for, and there is a progressive experience, so the piglins will ramp up later in the game, there's more complexity the further you go to help shape that timeframe."
Steamrolling your opponent is unlikely to happen, Pederson says, but players may sometimes find they have a slight advantage from time to time based on the world generation. This has been balanced through development, with a more vulnerable base location perhaps also featuring better access to resources.
"We've dialled back a certain amount of the craziness when looking at our ruleset," Pederson continues, "but not so much it ever becomes repetitive or boring."
Minecraft Legends is due to launch - with its PVP mode included - on 18th April for PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.