Minecraft Legends development officially ends today with one final content update

Mojang and developer Blackbird Interactive have officially brought development on Minecraft Legends to an end today with one final content update, wrapping up a little under nine months of post-launch support for the real-time strategy spin-off.

Releasing in May last year, Minecraft Legends unfortunately didn't especially impress, proving to be a decidedly average RTS that failed to do much to justify its use of the Minecraft license. “It feels too overwhelming and poorly explained for kids,” Eurogamer contributor Caelyn Ellis wrote in her review, “too rudimentary for older players and too frustrating for both. Minecraft is, at least for me, about creativity and experimentation, but there's no room for that here.”

Still, Mojang and Blackbird Interactive have continued to support Minecraft Legends with a series of post-launch content updates since its arrival, but Mojang has now confirmed today's Snow vs. Snouts update – initially announced during last year's Minecraft Live event and originally planned to launch in December – will be its last.

Snow vs. Snouts introduces a new Lost Legends challenge focused on long-distance combat that uses an enhanced version of the redstone launcher – which here sports a “faster cooldown and (de)construction rate”, plus a special knockback effect. The twist to all this is that players can't control mobs or build other structures – but there's a Snow Guardian hero skin awaiting anyone who manages to make it through to the end of the challenge.

Additionally, today's Minecraft Legends update adds the fearless frog, witches, clangers, and air choppers, plus a range of mechanical enhancements intended to make battles “even more intense.” There are also a number of tweaks based on user feedback, including enhanced pathfinding and a more comprehensive Battle View UI.

But onto the bad news. “With that complete,” Mojang explained on the Minecraft blog, “we're now going to take a step back from development… Thank you for following along this heroic journey and helping us make Minecraft Legends the game it is today.” It doesn't sound like the studio is ditching its Minecraft spin-off ambitions following the winding down of Legends and the end of Minecraft Dungeons, however. “With the support of our team, our partners, and the Minecraft community,” it added, “we're going to continue exploring the types of games we're passionate about and bringing new experiences to the Minecraft universe.”

While today's content update marks the last for Minecraft Legends, Mojang notes the game will continue to receive technical support when required, that all Legends challenges will remain available and free, and that PvP and co-op will continue to be fully functional. And as a starting gift for players, the Bright-Eyed Hero skin can now be claimed on the game's Marketplace.