Minecraft AR mobile game teased ahead of May 17 reveal

Minecraft is celebrating its 10-year anniversary on May 17, and Microsoft is clearly gearing up to make some huge announcements - including a new AR spin-off. In the teaser video above, you can see for yourself what Minecraft looks like in augmented reality, using mobile technology similar to Nintendo and Niantic's megahit Pokemon Go.

The teaser starts off like some kind of Silicon Valley meet-cute, with a Microsoft employee accidentally grabbing the wrong phone. His benchmate tries to return it, and in doing so gets a glimpse into Minecraft's future, where blocky pigs roll around in pixelated mud projected onto the real-world streets. The app's HUD clearly shows the same hotbar as regular Minecraft, where you can store weapons and items for easy use, so it's safe to assume that you'll be able to do battle with any AR monsters or interact with NPCs.

On the plus side, you might finally be able to enjoy the company of Minecraft's default protagonist Steve thanks to this as-yet-unnamed app. Then again, you might boot up this Minecraft AR game at night only to find a Creeper skulking directly behind your bedroom door, scarring you for life. Microsoft will be unveiling this game in full over at minecraft.net on May 17, and you can safely expect more big Minecraft news in addition to details on the AR experience. 

It's an exciting time to be a Minecraft diehard, as Mojang recently released version 1.14, Village and Pillage, which the official blog calls "the biggest Minecraft update yet." The patch also introduced pandas, which we can only hope will be a day one feature in the Minecraft AR game.

If you're hoping to change up your Minecraft avatar, be sure to peruse our list of the best Minecraft skins. Or see what's happening this week in games and entertainment with our latest Release Radar: