Minecraft XBLA set for UI overhaul

Minecraft on Xbox Live Arcade, announced during Microsoft's E3 press conference, looks set to be very different from the PC version.

Developer Mojang said today it will undergo a complete user interface redesign to ensure it works well with the Xbox 360 controller.

"I don't think we can have the exact same experience because of the lack of a keyboard," Mojang's Daniel Kaplan said during a presentation at Barcelona Gamelab conference today, reported by Gamasutra.

"So we're going to do a complete overhaul of the user interface, and make sure it works on a 360 controller."

Minecraft XBLA is being made by the Dundee-based 4J Studios, the developer behind the Xbox Live versions of Banjo & Kazooie and Perfect Dark.

4J Studios "seem to have a very good mentality, and obviously are very talented," Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson said on Twitter earlier this month.

Minecraft will come to Xbox Live Arcade "this winter" and supports motion-sensing add-on Kinect. Minecraft 360 - a name hasn't been decided - will be designed specifically for consoles; it won't be the PC game on an Xbox 360.

Meanwhile, Mojang discussed the developer's next title, fantasy card-battling game Scrolls.

"With our new game, Scrolls, we'll follow the same formula as Minecraft," Kaplan said. "That means we'll release the game very early."

Gamers will be able to pay for Scrolls, play it, and give feedback at an early stage. It'll also receive frequent updates.