The Smurfs are in Minecraft — and We Helped Bring Them There

What happens when you take one of the most iconic animated worlds and reimagine it inside Minecraft?

You get a vibrant mushroom village, a mischievous cat named Azrael, a whole lot of blue... and a project we’re incredibly proud of: the Smurfs DLC, now available on the Minecraft Marketplace.

This marks Shapescape’s first collaboration with Paramount and Peyo, and our first time working on a major globally recognized IP for Minecraft. It’s not just a release — it’s a creative milestone.

A Village Full of Charm (and Trouble)

The DLC invites players to step into the Smurf village, meet familiar faces like Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Hefty, and Brainy, and explore their world through a mix of free-roam customization and mission-based gameplay.

But this wouldn’t be a Smurf story without some danger.

Gargamel is up to his old tricks again, and it’s up to the player to:

• Sneak past Azrael to free captured Smurfs

• Engage in a chaotic potion battle against Gargamel

• Parkour through a collapsing cave in a timed rescue mission

It’s playful. It’s silly. And it’s everything we loved about the Smurfs growing up — just reimagined through the blocky lens of Minecraft.

Why This One Mattered

At Shapescape, we’ve worked on everything from award-winning educational worlds to expansive fantasy adventures. But working on the Smurfs felt different. It’s a brand with decades of cultural impact. It’s Belgian (just like some of us). And it comes with a distinct tone — one that’s whimsical, heartfelt, and a little chaotic in the best possible way.

Balancing all that while designing fun, accessible gameplay was a challenge we loved taking on.

It also meant bringing together multiple disciplines:

• Writers capturing the voice of the Smurfs

• Artists staying true to the visual identity

• Developers creating three distinct mini-games that feel fresh but familiar

• QA testers ensuring Azrael was just annoying enough

And of course, our partners at Paramount and Peyo, who brought their own deep knowledge and care to every review, call, and iteration.

Smurf Hats Off to the Team

We’re grateful to have worked on this project and even more grateful to see players around the world put on their (free!) Smurf Hats and jump into the experience.

If you’ve ever dreamed of being a Smurf — or just want to see what potion-fighting against Gargamel looks like — you can find the DLC now on the Minecraft Marketplace.

Get it here