Teesside developer Double Eleven has revealed it is working on the next video game in the hugely successful Minecraft franchise.
Double Eleven is working with Minecraft owner Mojang on the next iteration of the game, known as Minecraft Dungeons.
Described as a “dungeon crawling action-adventure game”, Minecraft Dungeons will be a standalone experience and is set to be released on PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 next year.
Double Eleven’s role in the development of Minecraft Dungeons is focused on developing the console editions of the project in partnership with Mojang. The Teesside firm will also be involved in content creation and helping to develop the game’s online and multiplayer systems.
Lee Hutchinson, founder and CEO of Double Eleven, said: “It’s a real honour to help with the creation of such an exciting, high-profile release as Minecraft Dungeons.
“This December will mark Double Eleven’s 10th anniversary, and in that time we’ve developed a track record of technical expertise and creativity. This milestone highlights the next phase of the team’s expansion, and we’ve got more exciting announcements still to come this year.”
Minecraft has become a global phenomenon and allows plays to create their own worlds using Lego-like blocks that can be mined in-game.
Around 91m people play Minecraft, making it one of the biggest video games in the world. Minecraft was originally created by Swedish developer Markus Persson, who sold Mojang to Microsoft in 2014 for $2.5bn.
Commenting on striking the partnership with Double Eleven, Mojang’s executive producer David Nisshagen said: “We’re thrilled to have found a partner that shares our passion for creating great games, and we’re looking forward to working closely with Double Eleven to bring Minecraft Dungeons to a wide range of platforms.
“We’re excited to watch our passion project continue to grow, and Double Eleven’s expertise and dedication will help us create a high-quality experience for our community.”
From its Middlesbrough headquarters, Double Eleven provides development and publishing services to the video game industry and is capable of working on projects from initial conception, through to production and even post-release support. The company has grown to employ a team of 100 developers.
The firm has worked on a number of popular games including Goat Simulator, Prison Architect and Crackdown 3.
