Insider Claims Microsoft Is Developing Minecraft RTS

thegamer.com:

Former Giant Bomb founding member Jeff Gerstmann claims that a new Minecraft real-time strategy game is in development, likely from the team behind the Diablo-like spin-off Dungeons.

According to Gerstmann, Microsoft is in the midst of "testing it out" although he alleges that he's seen screenshots which look similar to an RTS game. The idea is that you control units "in a third-person view" rather than the typical birds-eye view of other RTS games. You order these units, who are Steve-like, to battle enemies such as Piglins.

RELATED: If Minecraft Learns Anything From Valheim, It Should Be To Include More Bosses

But it's not just a mindless action game where you pit hordes of heroes against enemies—according to Gerstmann, there's also a story mode with cutscenes, though currently, they are unfinished. He likens it to Overlord, another RTS, and said that it's "far enough along" in development that an announcement is possible, although he doesn't know if one will be made.

He mentioned the new Minecraft RTS in his stream—you can hear him talk about it at 1:19:00, breaking down what he's heard and seen.

While it isn't clear if Microsoft will announce the game anytime soon, the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase is right around the corner, running on June 12 and 14, so speculation is running rampant that we'll get a look at this all-new Minecraft spin-off sooner than we expect.

But to corroborate Gerstmann's claims, ResetEra sleuths dug into Minecraft Dungeons developer Double Eleven, reading through its website. They found that it's hiring for a "Major IP, RTS game." While the "Major IP" isn't specified, it's safe to assume that it's what Gerstmann has seen, while it also fits Double Eleven's track record of working closely