Notes

Microsoft will Unify most 'Minecraft' Platforms This Summer

Minecraft is set to be released in its final form. In August the Better Together update will land and bring the game together across almost every platform including iOS and Android to Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The Bedrock Engine powers all mobile, Windows 10 and Amazon Fire versions of Minecraft. It doesn't matter on which platform your friends play on to play Minecraft. All versions will be identical, they will share DLC and updates, so all players can create new worlds together.



Nearly all. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox 360 versions of Minecraft aren't part of the initial "Better Together" update.



"Beginning with Xbox One and Nintendo Switch we'll be expanding the code base to ensure that all -- the vast majority of our community is united," marketing lead Emily Orrson says.



The Better Together update includes Bedrock to Minecraft on the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, allowing players to play almost every version of the game. Consoles that are currently playing will be capable of downloading Realms (the multiplayer mode of the game) and the new Community Marketplace. All DLC purchased will be transferred to Bedrock. The update will add infinite worlds to Xbox One or Switch, which is a significant improvement over the current grid of 3 miles by 3 miles.



"They've been asking for some relief there for a long, long time and now they'll be able walk right up inside of the worlds they've created and continue to generate them indefinitely," says executive producer Jesse Merriam.



But gamers who play on PS4 perhaps the most popular current-gen console available will not be transferred to Bedrock immediately.



Merriam stated that "our aim is to bring together all Minecraft players." "Today we're able to confirm Xbox One and Nintendo Switch however, we're also able to confirm all of our current-gen partnerswe're keen on connecting all Minecraft players. It's just about what we can confirm today."



The PS4 and Xbox 360 versions of Minecraft will continue to have their own specific names for their platforms, while the Java version will be officially known as Minecraft: Java Edition, which is what most people call it anyway. So, now, there's the main Minecraft game, and three separate versions (PS4, Xbox 360 and Java) which aren't guaranteed to receive the same updates or cross-platform functionality as the main version. It's a welcome step toward unity, but it's not the complete leap yet.



"We're working closely with Apple, Google, PlayStation, Nintendo, Amazon, our VR partners -- a lot of it is a lot of work to make sure we're always working on every store and other areas," Orrson says. "Right now we are doing our best to keep everyone connected, but it's a lot of an ongoing process to tackle all the scenarios we come across."
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Microsoft bought Minecraft in 2014 for $2.5 billion which is why it's only natural that the Xbox One version is getting some affection in the 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 at the moment. We want PlayStation and we would like to invite Sony to bring PlayStation players to Bedrock. However these are private discussions.



Microsoft and developer Mojang are far from done with Minecraft. Better Together is part of a larger push to transform Minecraft into a "creative platform." Developers want it to be more than a game. It should be the foundation of community-driven innovation, connection and creativity.



The Community Marketplace launched on Pocket and Windows 10 editions in June was a major element of this change, allowing players to find, purchase and sell their own in-game creations.



Better Together is also paying attention to servers. These servers let players explore worlds that were created by dedicated players. There's now Servers tab in addition to the "Worlds" and "Friends" tabs at start-up, introducing a whole new group of players to fan-favorite worlds such as Lifeboat, an endeavor created by a 14-year-old and his father that boasts 6 million players every month. The first servers to be launched on Bedrock are Lifeboat, CubeCraft, Mineplex and InPvP.



One final update makes Minecraft even more self-contained. an integrated recipe book for crafting.



"We want to combine the strengths of the existing crafting systems together," Merriam says. "Today, the Java edition is known for its experimentation and discovery, as you browse the crafting grid to try things out and see what actually will be the recipe."



The book's recipe book will allow players to switch recipes directly in the crafting grid, removing the need to set down the game and search for the appropriate Wiki page. People who like trying out new recipes are able to ignore the book.



Merriam states, "Anyone who has interacted with a hardcore Minecraft player will be aware that there's a great sense of joy a child can feel when they've found the recipe for an item."



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