Ever wanted to kayak through Abel Tasman, explore Waitomo’s glowworm caves, or gaze at the stars over Tekapo—but in Minecraft? Well, now you can! New Zealand has teamed up with Warner Bros. Pictures and Mojang Studios to launch a world-first Minecraft DLC, letting players explore the country in blocky form.

Timed perfectly with the 3 April release of A Minecraft Movie—which was filmed in New Zealand and stars Jason Momoa and Jack Black—this free DLC lets you virtually tour six of the country’s most iconic locations, take on adventure quests, and even learn about Maori culture. It’s like a travel brochure but with more creepers.

From Virtual Adventures to Real-Life Road Trips

The Aotearoa New Zealand DLC doesn’t just let you roam around blocky versions of Rotorua, Kapiti Island, and Doubtful Sound—it’s a choose-your-own-adventure experience with activities like:

• Paddling a waka (canoe) in Abel Tasman
• Stargazing in Tekapo under the stunning night sky
• Meeting New Zealand’s native wildlife (sadly, no kiwi birds in diamond armour)
• Discovering Maori customs & music with traditional taonga puoro instruments

And the best part? If the virtual experience gets you hooked, you can book the 100% Pure Minecraft Itinerary and visit these places in real life. Yes, Tourism New Zealand wants to convert your in-game travels into actual plane tickets.

Gaming Meets Tourism—A Marketing Masterstroke

With 300 million copies sold, Minecraft is the best-selling game of all time, and 70% of New Zealand’s key tourism markets actively play it. So, instead of telling people to visit, New Zealand is letting them experience it first—digitally. Genius.

Even Torfi Frans Ólafsson, the Senior Creative Director of Minecraft, is all in on the idea:

“Shooting A Minecraft Movie in New Zealand was incredible. We explored every corner of the country during filming, and when production wrapped, many of us were already planning our return trips as tourists.”

When & Where to Play

The Aotearoa New Zealand DLC launches today, 19 March at 1:00 AM (GMT+8), available for free on the Minecraft Marketplace.

A special livestream featuring gaming and travel creator Denise Teo (@supercatkei) will showcase the experience on Twitch and TikTok LIVE on 20 March at 8:00 PM (GMT+8).

So, if you’re a Minecraft fan, a travel junkie, or just someone who enjoys seeing a creeper blow up near a glowworm cave, this is one DLC you don’t want to miss.