Minecraft has been described as a digital version of Lego. Now Lego is itself going digital, Minecraft-style.

Lego Worlds has just been added to Steam as an “early access” game which may have bugs and missing features. The plan is to develop it based on user feedback and release a “finished” edition at a higher price next year.

While the developers obviously don’t use this terminology, the principle of the game is very like Minecraft in that you can create your own landscapes. The big difference is that the building blocks are all based on physical Lego bricks, along with the various pre-built vehicles and minifigs. Players will have the choice of starting from scratch or, for a quicker experience, modifying a pre-built world.

The initial version is more limited with the only special features being the ability for minifigs to ride creatures and vehicles, and a day/night cycle. Features to be added later include different biomes (regions of the virtual world, suggesting climates will vary), cave networks, weapons, underwater play, online multiplayer and customization of characters.

There’s also a mention of weapons, which will no doubt make the game more fun to play for many people, but risk a mainstream media firestorm if and when a young player is left in tears.

The Guardian notes that Lego tried a similar project back in 2010 but dropped it after finding it impossible to police “community creations” to make sure they were family friendly.