Microsoft HoloLens Brings Minecraft to Your Coffee Table

Forget flat screens—what if your next video game world existed right on your dining table? In 2015, Microsoft gave the world a glimpse of just that, blending the physical and digital in a way that felt like science fiction made real.

At E3 2015 in Los Angeles, Microsoft unveiled a prototype of its HoloLens headset by demonstrating Minecraft projected onto an actual coffee table. A Microsoft employee used voice commands and hand gestures to build and explore a fully 3D Minecraft world that appeared to float above the table’s surface.

What Was Shown at E3 2015?

During Microsoft’s presentation at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), a staffer wearing the HoloLens headset was shown interacting with a version of Minecraft that appeared to exist in the real world. The game world was projected onto a regular coffee table, allowing the player—and viewers, via special camera feeds—to see a virtual landscape sitting atop the physical table.

The demonstrator walked around the table, examining the world from different angles. He used voice commands and hand movements to add structures, then gestured to lift the entire ground layer, revealing a hidden underground “basement” beneath. At one point, he even looked down at the table from above, as if peering into the world from a higher vantage point.

How Did the HoloLens Prototype Work?

The HoloLens used in the demo was a prototype device that blended augmented reality with spatial computing. Unlike virtual reality headsets that immerse you in a completely virtual environment, HoloLens projects 3D digital objects into your real surroundings. In this case, it placed a playable Minecraft world onto a coffee table, making it appear as though blocks, creatures, and structures were physically present.

The system responded to both voice and gesture inputs. Players could speak commands and use their hands to manipulate the environment, building structures or exploring the world as they would in the traditional game—but now in three dimensions, overlaid on their actual environment.

Why Minecraft?

Minecraft, known officially as “Minecraft: Blockworld” in some markets but commonly called “Minecraft” or “” (Dāng gè chuàngshìshén) in Chinese, is a sandbox game where players can freely create and destroy blocks in a 3D environment. Its open-ended gameplay and popularity made it an ideal showcase for HoloLens’s capabilities.

Lydía Winters, the game’s brand director, noted that Mojang and Microsoft had developed a special version of Minecraft tailored for the HoloLens. She emphasized the flexibility of the platform, saying, “The coolest thing about HoloLens is that it lets you play Minecraft anywhere.”

What Happened to the HoloLens Minecraft Demo?

The demo was part of Microsoft’s broader push to demonstrate the potential of HoloLens as more than just a niche gadget. While the coffee table Minecraft experience was impressive, HoloLens remained in prototype stages at the time and has since evolved into a commercial product aimed primarily at enterprise and development use cases.

Microsoft did not announce a specific release date or consumer pricing for the HoloLens headset shown in the demo. The device pictured was an early prototype, not the final consumer model.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the coffee table Minecraft demo shown at E3 2015?

At E3 2015, Microsoft demonstrated a prototype of its HoloLens headset by showing a version of Minecraft projected onto a real coffee table. A staffer used voice and hand gestures to interact with the 3D game world, which appeared to float above the physical table surface, allowing for a unique mixed-reality gameplay experience.

Did the HoloLens Minecraft demo use the real Minecraft game?

Yes, the demo used a specially adapted version of Minecraft created for the HoloLens by Microsoft and Mojang. The game was modified to work in a mixed-reality environment, enabling 3D interactions on a physical table using the HoloLens headset.

What could you do in the HoloLens Minecraft demo?

In the demo, the player could walk around the coffee table, view the Minecraft world from different angles, build structures using voice and hand commands, and even lift the ground layer to reveal an underground basement area hidden beneath the surface.

Was the HoloLens device shown at E3 2015 available for purchase?

No, the HoloLens headset shown at E3 2015 was a prototype and not available for consumer purchase. Microsoft did not announce a release date or price for a consumer version at that time. The device has since been released in enterprise and developer editions.

Why was Minecraft chosen for the HoloLens demo?

Minecraft was chosen because of its popularity and open-ended sandbox gameplay, which made it an ideal way to demonstrate the creative and interactive possibilities of the HoloLens mixed-reality platform. The brand director also mentioned that a HoloLens-specific version of the game was developed.