Microsoft will Unify the Majority of 'Minecraft' Platforms This Summer
Minecraft is set to get its final version. In August, the Better Together update will launch and bring the game to almost every platform that is available, from iOS and Android to Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The Bedrock Engine powers all mobile, Windows 10 and Amazon Fire versions of Minecraft. Now, it doesn't matter what platform your friends are using to play Minecraft -- every version will be the same, they'll share updates and DLC, and all players will be able to create new worlds.
Well, almost all. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox 360 versions of Minecraft aren't included in the initial "Better Together" update.
Marketing lead Emily Orrson states, "Beginning with Xbox One or Nintendo Switch We'll broaden the code base so that everyone -- the vast majority -of our community is connected."
The Better Together update adds Bedrock to Minecraft on the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch which allows players to play almost every version of the game. With the update, all participating consoles get Realms (the game's multiplayer mode), plus the recently launched Community Marketplace. All DLC purchased will also transfer to Bedrock. The update adds infinite worlds to Xbox One or Switch, an increase of a substantial amount over the current grid of 3 miles by 3 miles.
Executive producer Jesse Merriam says that "they've been asking for relief there for a while, and now they will be capable of walking straight up within these worlds and continue to create them infinitely."
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However, those on PS4 which is the most popular console of the moment, won't be able to change to Bedrock immediately.
Merriam declared that "our goal is to unite all Minecraft players." "Today we're able confirm Xbox One and Nintendo Switch however, we're also able to confirm all of our current-gen partners -we're keen on connecting all of the Minecraft players. This is all we can confirm today."
The PS4 and Xbox 360 versions of Minecraft will continue to have their own specific names for their platforms and the Java version will be officially known as Minecraft: Java Edition, which is what most people refer to it as. So, now, there's the core Minecraft game and three different editions (PS4, Xbox 360 and Java) that aren't sure to receive the same updates or cross-platform features as the main version. It's a welcome step towards unity, but it's not yet a complete leap.
Orrson states that "we're very closely partnered with Apple, Google and PlayStation, Nintendo, Amazon -- a lot, it's just not enough to ensure that we're always available in every store and everything else." "Right moment, we're trying to get everyone connected but it's difficult to work through all the scenarios we face.
Microsoft purchased Minecraft in 2014 for $2.5 Billion. It is only natural that the Xbox One version of Minecraft will be getting some affection in this Better Together update. Of course, Sony builds the PS4.
"It's not for the lack of desire or effort on our part," said senior global communications manager Aubrey Norris. "We are in discussions with our partners right now. We want PlayStation and we're inviting Sony to bring PlayStation players onto Bedrock however we are unable to get any further into -- these are confidential discussions."
Mojang and Microsoft aren't finished with Minecraft. Better Together is part a larger push for Minecraft to be an "creative platform." Developers want it to be more than a game. It should be the base of community-driven innovation, connectivity, and creativity.
The Community Marketplace that was launched in Pocket and Windows 10 editions in June was a key element of this change. It lets players shop for, buy and sell their in-game creations.
Better Together is also paying attention to servers. These servers let players play in unique worlds created by dedicated fans. In the near future, there will be Servers tab in addition to the "Worlds" and "Friends" tabs when the game launches which will introduce a whole new player community to fan-favorite worlds such as Lifeboat which was developed by a teenager and his dad that boasts 6 million users per month. The first servers to be launched on Bedrock include Lifeboat, CubeCraft, Mineplex and InPvP.
One final update makes Minecraft even more self-contained. a built-in crafting recipe book.
"We would like to combine the strengths of all existing crafting systems together," Merriam says. "The Java edition is known for its ability to experiment and discover, as you can go to the crafting grid to test out different things and find the right recipe.
The recipe book allows players to switch recipes around in the crafting grid. This will eliminate the need to start the game and then find the Wiki page that is relevant. Anyone who is interested in trying out new recipes are able to ignore the book.
Merriam states, "Anyone who has interacted with a fervent Minecraft fan will understand that there's a lot pride a child will feel if they have the recipe for an item."
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