Minecraft is set to get its final version. In August the Better Together update will launch 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's now irrelevant which platform your friends use to play Minecraft -- every version will be identical, they'll share DLC and updates and all players will be able to build new worlds.
Nearly all. AYE AYE The initial "Better Together” update didn't include Minecraft versions for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 4.
Marketing lead Emily Orrson states, "Beginning with Xbox One or Nintendo Switch We'll broaden that code base so everyone -- the vast majority -of our community is connected."
The Better Together update includes Bedrock to Minecraft on the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch and lets players play with nearly every version of the game. The consoles that are participating will now be allowed to download Realms (the multiplayer mode in the game) as well as the brand new Community Marketplace. Any existing worlds can be transferred directly to Bedrock, as will all DLC players have purchased. The update also brings infinite worlds to Xbox One and Switch, as opposed to the current limited grid of 3 miles by 3 miles.
Executive producer Jesse Merriam says that "they've been begging for relief for some time, and now they will be capable of walking straight up within these worlds and continue to create them indefinitely."
But gamers on PS4, arguably the most popular current-gen console on the market, won't be moved to Bedrock right away.
Merriam declared that "our aim is to bring together 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. 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 officially be called Minecraft: Java Edition, which is what most people call it anyway. Now, we have the main Minecraft game, as well as three different editions (PS4, Xbox 360, and Java), which do not guarantee the same updates and cross-platform capabilities. It's a good step towards unity, but it's not the complete leap yet.
Orrson says that "we're extremely closely connected with Apple, Google and PlayStation, Nintendo, Amazon -- a lot, it just isn't a lot to ensure we're always working at every store and everywhere else." "Right now, we are trying to connect everyone however it's a challenge to work through all the scenarios we encounter.
Microsoft purchased Minecraft in 2014 for $2.5 Billion. It makes sense that the Xbox One version of Minecraft will get 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 currently in discussions with our partners. We'd like to see PlayStation and we're inviting Sony to bring PlayStation players to Bedrock however we are unable to proceed further the details because these are confidential discussions."
Microsoft and the developer Mojang are not done with Minecraft. Better Together is part of a larger push to transform Minecraft into a "creative platform." Developers want more than just a game. They want it to be the basis for community-driven creativity, innovation, and connection.
The Community Marketplace, which launched in Pocket and Windows 10 editions in June was a key element of this change. It lets players look for, purchase and sell their game creations.
Servers are also getting attention in Better Together. They allow players to play in unique worlds created by passionate fans. There's now a Servers tab next to the "Worlds" and "Friends" tabs upon launch and will introduce a new group of players to fan-favorite universes like Lifeboat which was created by a 14-year-old and his dad that has 6 million players every month. The first servers that will be available on Bedrock include Lifeboat, CubeCraft, Mineplex and InPvP.
Minecraft is now even more independent with its own crafting book.
Merriam states that Merriam is looking to combine the strengths of various crafting systems. "Today the Java edition is really known for its experimentation and discovery, as you go to the crafting grid to play around with things and see what actually is a recipe."
The recipe book allows players to toggle recipes in the crafting grid. This will eliminate the requirement to begin the game and find the relevant Wiki page. Those who enjoy trying new recipes can ignore the book.
"Anyone who's interacted with a fervent Minecraft player will be aware of an enormous amount of pride an individual feels when they have the recipe for a boat," Merriam says.
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