One of the things that makes Minecraft so popular and accessible is its many ports to multiple systems. It even m?ade its way to ChromeOS and Apple TV. However, for some reason, there's never been a?? native version of the game on PlayStation 5. Until now, that is.

As of yesterday, Mojang Studios has made its gaming behemoth Minecraft available on the console, although it is just a preview for now. In a recent post on the official website, the developer invites people to ch?eck out the PS5 version, which you can access if you have it for PS4 by "navigating to 'Settings' and then 'Preview' within the game."

Quite why it's taken this long to roll out a current-gen versi??on of it on the Sony system is not clear, but it’s here now, and you can enjoy all the same benefits as the Xbox Series port. Well, almost all the benefits.

What you can and can't do in the PS5 version of Minecraft

Even though it's just a preview so far, you'll still get access to Minecraft in its entirety. However, there are some things you won't ?have until the final release. For example, Mojang says while t??here is multiplayer in the PS5 version, there's no cross-play, except with the PS4. Also, for obvious reasons, you can't play this port on previous-gen hardware.

However, you can cross-play if you use Realms �the subscription-based servers for Minecraft �which is available on the PlayStation 5 preview. But you don't have access to the Minecraft Store ??currently, though you will get the new "Tricky Trials Update" with the download.

Essentially, this is a testing ground for running the game natively on the PS5, which is something the studio does quite often. As such, this particular build is likely to be "unstable" and "not representative of the final version quality." With these previews, players are encouraged to send feedback and submit bug reports to the developer. A?s for when the full ver?sion will be getting a release, there's no word on that yet.

Still pulling in millions of players after all this time, Minecraft recently celebrated its 15th birthday. I still remember the first time I played it, not long after it ??went into beta. It's been quite the trajectory for the sandbox game that went from a single person's passion project to dominating the video gaming landscape for the better part of a decade. Maybe its popularity has waned slightly over the years, but I will always find myself back in its blocky world from time to time.

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When you think about the age of Minecraft, it's tempting to just round up to it being rou??ghly a decade old, maybe a little bit more. Despite its huge impact on the gaming industry ??�retaining a dominant position for years �it's easy to forget that Mojang's sandbox sensation is older than many of us can recall.

Wikipedia has it down as a game that came out in 2011, which would make it around 13 years old (or it will be in November). That puts it on par with Skyrim. But that's just taking into account the final release. Just before that, Minecraft had a beta version and before that ??still, it was ver??y much in its alpha phase.

That particular build of the game was released unto the world on May 17, 2009. That puts it at roughly 15 years old, at the time of this writing. The story goes that over on TIG Forums, a user called Notch (a name we're all familiar with now �not always for the best reason, it has to be said) uploaded a Java applet for an early version of a game they'd been working on. The game in question was, of course, Minecraft.

To celebrate this momentous occasion (how many other games c?an say they're still going strong after ?a decade and a half?), developer Mojang has launched a 15-day celebration. The video above gives us a glimpse of what's to come, which includes deals, discounts, and surprises, all kicking off from today.

Such humble beginnings

The most interesting thin?g about that original forum post was what others thought of this newfangled thing called "mine...craft." Other users were quite enthused by this alpha build of some one-person project.

People seemed to enjoy the building mechanics, while others uploaded photos of some of the structures they'd been working on. I also love that one user that simply says, "THIS IS THE BEST GAME I'VE? PLAYED EVER! BETTER THAN SPELUNKY!" One other person said, "Well, when an alpha keeps drawing me back to play it, you know you've got s?omething good." These comments go on for 96 pages, with the last message being posted in April 2017.

Praise indeed, but little did these people realize just how enormous the game would become. Minecraft's sole creator took inspiration from Bullfrog's comically dark '90s RTS game Dungeon Keeper, an obscure block-based game called Infiniminer, and a bit of Dwarf Fortress, and put it all into their passion project.

You don't need me to tell you the rest of the story. Minecraft has gone down as one of the best-selling video games of all time, second only to Tetris. By October 2023, it had sold more than 300 million copies since launch. While Tetris boasts a staggering 540 million copies, that ga??me has had a lot longer to rack up such huge numbers.

In terms of sales alone, Minecraft is more successful than GTA 5, Skyrim, Wii Sports, and Mario Kart 8. And all?? this began from a single post on a forum which encouraged people to try out an alpha build of a new game from an unknown developer.

It's fun to see what everyone thought of that simple build 15 years ago, as well as the plans ??Notch was making for future versions (which included the Creative Mode and Survival Mode st??aples).

Since then there have been a number of spin-offs, such as Minecraft Stories, Minecraft Dungeons, as well as plenty of ports of the OG game, including on mobile. There's even been an episode of the Simpsons that parodied the visuals in one of the episode's openings, plus a parody of the game in South Park.

Look, maybe Minecraft isn't quite as in the mainstream limelight as it once was. Since Microsoft bought the IP back in 2014, it's become a much bigger beast, but it sort of feels like it's plateaued now. Doesn't seem like it could possibly get any bigger. However, statistics show that millions of people are? still logging in on a monthly basis, so it must be doing so??mething right.

Again, all this from a game that's a decade and a half old. What was I doing back then? I was about to graduate from university. I was about to be spat out into the real world during an economic crisis (yes, another one). The PS3 and Xbox 360 generation of consoles were halfway into their respective lifecycles. And the world was about to realize that colorful blocks and infinite creative potential were what we really needed in those early parts of the 21st Century. Or as user rj said on April 8, 2017, "cool."

For a little nostalgia, here's the first official trailer for Minecraft that went live just after the beta version o??f the game was released in November 2011.

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I'm not saying Minecraft is entirely infinite, but it definitely has the kind of longevity most other games would kill for. Much of ?it comes down to the near-endless creative possibilities, but also the mods. Mods and add-ons are what keep the gaming world a-turnin', and Mojang has now added...add-ons to the game.

Okay, so if you thought this was old news, think again. In a recent post on the official Minecraft website, the Bedrock Edi?tion of the game now has add-ons available in the Marketplace. Mods were typically associated with the Java build (i.e. on PC), but now the studio has made it so you can use them "no matter which device you play on." Or something like that.

What seems to distinguish regular mods from these Bedrock add-ons is they add content rather than just replacing. That's according to a response to a question asked by someone on Twitter/X.

I'm not confused, you're confused!

Here's what ??the developer says about it. Maybe ??that'll clear things up...

Available through Minecraft Marketplace, add-ons let y?ou add new blocks, mobs, items, recipes, and other content to both your existing worlds ??and new ones.

If you take a look on the Minecraft Marketplace, you can see that add-ons are in their own category. This means they're not the same as texture packs, mini games, new skins, or adventure maps. Actu??ally, why am I telling you this? You all know how mods work.

And to celebrate these add-ons, Mojang has released a few examples for free. So if you want some new furniture, a pet guinea pig, or to have all the wool in the world (we're all different), that's totally a thing you can do now. With add-ons. In the Bedrock Edition. Which, a??s far as I could tell, were already a thing..?

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To keep the Minecraft juggernaut rolling along, Mojang is getting ready to release version 1.21 of its mighty IP. As part of the said update??, the studio is introducing a new mob for when you think ??the game isn't hostile enough.

Say hello to the bogged. This is a skeletal creature that fires poison-tipped arrows. A recent post on the Minecraft website puts a little bit of a lovey??-dovey spin on the mob. Because it was announced on Valentine's Day.

With its green, gooey look and vacant eyes, the bog?ged is actually a variant on the classic skeleton and, ?as the name implies, can be found in the more swampy areas of the game.

When can I give it a hug?

The bogged is set to come out with the 1.21 update (which is due sometime this year), but you can test it now in snapshots, which are essentially beta tests for new Minecraft features. The post gives some instructions:

To install a snapshot, open up the�a href="//www.minecraft.net/download.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Minecraft Launcher and enable snapshots in the "Installations" tab. To enable preview/beta for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, then follow these instructions.

As of late 2023, the game has sold over 300 million copies since it launched in 2011 (or 2009 if you're counting the alpha build). It's no secret that it's been one of the most su??ccessful releases in gaming history, and the fact that it's still going today is pretty gnarly stuff.

It's been a good while since I was sucked back into Minecraft's world. Not sure whether a new green enemy is enough to entice me back in. But that could be because I've recently got back into No Man's Sky. That's eating in??to a lot of my down??time at the minute.

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In a post on the Minecraft Blog, Mojang revealed two of the new features coming to Minecraft Update 1.21. The first of the two new features is a new block: The Vault, a special new storage block that protects against players who steal all ??the loot at the end of a trial. The second is the Wind Charge, a new item that drops from defeated breezes and allows you to harness their power.

New Minecraft Block: The Vault

According to Mojang, The Vault makes multiplayer adventures more rewarding for everyone. They can't be crafted, and can only be found in trial chambers. In the current version of Minecraft, trial chambers have chests that reward players for completing them. The chests can? be looted and left empty by other players, which typically happens by that one greedy friend.

With The Vault block, however, it rewards every player that unlocks it using a trial ??key one time. You will still have to activate a trial spawner and defeat the waves of mobs to get th??e trial key. But once it's in your grasp, each player can use their key one time to loot what's in the vault.

New Minecraft Item: Wind Charge

Breezes w??ill now drop a new item: Wind Charges. Players can use Wind Charges to harness the power of t??he Breezes. While wielding a Wind Charge, players can launch a projectile of air at their foes which deals damage and sends nearby mobs flying into the air.

You can also use the power of wind to your advantage, using the Wind Charge knockback effect to boost your o??wn jumping ability. Like The Vault, Wind Charges cannot be crafted. They can only be obtained by defeating Breezes and looting the Wind Charges off of them.

Players interested in testing out the two new features can do so if they have an active Realm subscription. Simply create a new Testing Realm and it ?will be updated to have the two new features enabled for testing.

There's no word yet on when to expect these new Minecraft 1.21 features other than when the new ?update releases.

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Yep, you heard that right. Godzilla has been unleashed on the world of Minecraft. Mojang and Microsoft released the Godzilla-themed DLC by Japanese studio Team-KYO on the Minecraft Marketplace today. According to the Minecraft blog, players will start in movie theater screening rooms before picking one of four adventures from the iconic Godzilla films.

Godzilla!

Look, I know Minecraft gets a ton of DLC. And honestly, I'm usually not too interested in it. But come on, it's Godzilla! Obviously, the King of Monsters himself is ?featured in the DLC, but based on the trailer, other monsters will be making an appearance including Gigan, King Kong, and King Ghidorah. Maybe we'll even see Mechagodzilla, right?

It looks like each of the four adventures in the DLC has its own gameplay modes. The blog told us about two. In the first, players have to flee from Godzilla in an escape mission. In the seco?nd, players are tasked with speed building to create walls and obstructions in an attempt to contain Godzilla and save the city. All four adventures can be played in multiplayer and have unique rewards for co?mpleting and exploring them.

The Minecraft Godzilla DLC is available now on the Minecraft Marketplace for 1510 Minecoins. The clo??sest amount to that you can purchase is 1720 Minecoins for $9.99.

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Still the gaming behemoth it's been since it was released over twelve years ago, Minecraft continues to sell in droves. Much of that is its mass appeal of allowing near-infinite build potential. But the recent release of the Planet Earth III DLC probably isn't hurting things, either.

Inspired by the BBC documentary of the same name, the latest Minecraft content brings more of the natural world to the blocky sandbox game. But it goes beyond just pretty animals. A recent post on the official website gi??ves det?ails on what's in the DLC.

For example, there are a number of scenarios for you to take part in. You can become a fur seal who has to "steer clear of predators," or be the shark that's preying on the blubbery pinniped. There's also a chance to become a musk o??x or an arctic wolf as you're "transported to the Ca?nadian tundra in spring."

No narration from Sir David Attenborough, as far as I can tell

Oh, there are quite a few of thes?e scenarios for you to take part in. And when you're done frolicking about the place like a spry impala, you can also check out the BBC Planet Earth Field Station hub.

To this day, it's still quite mind-boggling to see how far this game came from its humble beginnings. With the Minecraft movie now in develo??pment, there's some life left ?to be squeezed out of this ungodly successful IP.

The Planet Earth III content is available now for free for Minecraft: Education Edition and on the marketplace for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.

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The fact that Minecraft recently surpassed 300 million sales shows that Mojang's sandbox IP is still a force to be reckoned with?. Much of its appeal comes from the ability to create nearly anything you want. In some cases, different worlds from different franchises get the blocky treatment.

As spotted by DSO Gaming, environmental artist and self-professed Bloodborne fan Potomy has released a new project for Minecraft inspired by FromSoftware's gothic game. A few screenshots show the level of detail that's gone into the recreation. However, if you want a better idea of how it looks, the be??low video gives yo??u a nice taster.

The only downside to it is, if you want to download the map, you'll need to subscribe to Potomy's Patreon page. It'll set you back $41/£36, ??so you need to b??e a pretty big fan of both games if you want to justify paying for it.

Imagine fighting a blocky Cleric Beast

Released in 2015, Bloodborne was exclusively a PS4 title. There hasn't really been any attempt to port the game to other systems, but datamining suggests a PC build is somewhere in the ether. It's a bit of a shame you can't get the game on anything other than the previous-gen Pla?yStation, especially considering its popularity.

As for Minecraft, it continue??s to be one of the biggest rag-to-riches stories in video game history. From its sma??ll beginnings made by a single person to one of the most successful IPs in gaming, it's still going strong after all these years.

In fact, come 2024, Minecraft will officially be 15 years old (unless you count the alpha release from 2009). In terms of longevity, even the likes of Skyrim can only dream of such a legacy.

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When it comes to video game sales, there are very few titles that operate on the same stratosphere as Minecraft. The timeless sandbox game has shown its domin??ance yet again with an announcement from Mojang revealing that it has sold 300 million copies, helping it retain its position as ?one of the bestselling games of all time.

The announcement came during the Minecraft Live event held on October 15. Helen Chiang, who is the head of Mojang Studios, stated that the milestone was something "no one could have dreamed of when we were all placing our first blocks." She also showed appreciation for the community, stating that it "has built Minecraft into wh??at it is to?day and what it will become in the future."

Mojang shared some interesting stats on Minecraft's official site. Between September 2023 and October 2023 alone, on average per day, there have been 15 million skeletons slayed, 8.8 million pickaxes c??rafted, and 6.7 million diamonds discovered.

Minecraft's success story

It's been a long road for Minecraft to reach the heights it has. The game was birthed in 2009 by Notch and it gained a large following of avid fans that allowed the game to grow so popular that it was purchased, along with Mojang, by Microsoft for an amazing $2.5 billion in 2014.

Since then, Minecraft has only grown thanks to a steady stream of new content, including the recent Trails and Tales update. There have also been numerous spin-offs released such as Minecraft Legends which launched in April this year.

Fans have plenty to look forward to. As the Minecraft Live event revealed, the armadillo is the winner of the 2023 Mob Vote. Minecraft is also tur?ning 15 in 2024, and there is? plenty in store to celebrate.

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As one of the biggest video games in history, Minecraft has maintained a steady stream of content to keep old fans happy while enticing newcomers. Its annual Mob Vote also means p??layers can decide which ??creature gets added next. However, some want to see this get tossed into lava.

A recent petition is asking ?the developer to "stop the Mob Vote," scrapping this voting system en??tirely. At the time of writing, 354,836 people have signed, with 500,000 being the eventual goal.

Mob voting for 2023 is said to begin October 13. It offers a chance for fans to have some say in what mob gets implemented into Minecraft's world. Last year, it was the turn of the Sniffer. This year, people are ?being asked to choose between the penguin, the crab, or the armadillo.

Why is this petition happening?

The petition on Change.org �started by Holly Mavermorne �argues that, as part of the engagement and feedback, many ideas are left "on the cutting room floor." They see this as "teasin??g content that will never be seen in the? game."

On top of this, Mavermorne believes that Microsoft's ownership of Minecraft should see more content on a regular basis. Before the tech giant bought studio Mojang out in 2014, the game's popularity could be attested to its "regular updates a?nd large amounts of content."

Additionally, a thread on Reddit shows some feel choosing one mob to be added is not an adequate way to engage the community. User dfjhgsaydgsauygdjh says fans "want all the mobs and all the features from the mob votes, because implementing just 1 and teasing us with the other 2 just�feels ba??d".

User TheCarina chimes in by adding that if "Moj?ang does not bring a losing mob from a previous vote into this year's update, I am firmly believing?? every lost mob is gone for good."

Some may see the vote as a publicity stunt in which Minecraft becomes a? focal point of conversation in the gaming world, perhaps to drum up hype for the Minecraft Live event.

On top of this, Mavermorne believes that the voting system can also encourage content ?creators to mobilize "their fanbases to vote for the least popular option for the joke of screwing over the other voters." As such, Mob Vote is inherently flawed, they argue.

The end result of this petition is to put a complete stop to the vote in its entirety. Instead, three new mobs added into Minecraft on a yearl?y basis would be preferable. As they say:

If unpaid modders can add your mobs to the game within days after they're announced, the least you could do is keep up with the content frequency that made Minecraft famous.

And in the time it took me to write this ?article, the signature count has gone up by another thousand.

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Block world, no block chain

Microsoft and Mojang are making their stance clear on NFTs in the world of Minecraft. In a new statement, Mojang puts the foot down on any blockchain or NFT technologies integrating with Minecraft.

In a post titled "Minecraft and NFTs," the studio gives a lengthy but clear explanation of its decision. Recently, it says, community? members have asked Mojang to clarify its position on NFTs and blockchain.

While the studio is currently updating its usage guidelines for more specificity, Mojang says that integrations of NFTs with Minecraft are "generally not something" it will support ?or allow.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JSjZqV-YK8

Mojang specifically highlights scarcity and exclusion as factors. The studio notes that some companies have recently launched NFT implementations associated with Minecraft world files and skin packs:

"Each of these uses of NFTs and other blockchain technologies creates digital ownership based on scarcity and exclusion, which does not align with Minecraft values of creative inclusion and playing together. NFTs are not inclusive of all our community and create a scenario of the haves and the have-nots. The specul?ative pricing and investment mentality around NFTs takes the focus away from playing the game and encourages?? profiteering, which we think is inconsistent with the long-term joy and success of our players."

The company also notes that some third-party NFTs may not be reliable, or involve the ??use of a?sset managers that can disappear. "We recognize that creation inside our game has intrinsic value, and we strive to provide a marketplace where those values can be recognized," the blog reads.

Non-craftable tokens

The closing part o??f the blog sums it all up neatly:

"As such, to ensure that Minecraft players have a safe and inclusive experience, blockchain technologies are not permitted to be integrated inside our Minecraft client and server applications nor may they be utilize?d?? to create NFTs associated with any in-game content, including worlds, skins, persona items, or other mods."

Mojang says it will be paying close attention to how blockchain evolves over time. It has no plans of implementing blockchain technology in Minecraft right now, however.

This echoes statements from other major storefronts and publishers. EVE Online developer and publisher CCP said no to NFTs and blockchain. Valve has barred blockchain games, and apps that can iss??ue or exchange cr?yptocurrencies or NFTs, from Steam.

Itch.io perhaps put it most succinctly: "NFTs are a scam." Looks like Microsoft and Mojang aren't on board, either, which seems like a generally wise position.

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Street Fighter Skin Pack now live

Destructoid isn't really much of a Minecraft website. And, to be honest, I'm not a Minecraft player at all. I'll tell you what I am though: Juri's lo??ng-s??uffering #1 fan. And as such, when my gal shows up in other video games, I'll be reporting on it under a thin veil of Important Gaming Newz.

So what we have here is a brand new Minecraft: The World Warrior DLC pack, which is now available to purchase for Mojang's blockbuster (multiple meanings y'see?) crafting adventure. Officially licensed by Capcom and designed by Minecraft companion team 57Digital, the new skin pack features a selection of Street Fighter greats, all ready to throw down in the unnervingly cubic world of Minecraft.

As you can see from the short video below, the pack includes original street beaters Ryu and Ken, along with iconic legends Chun-Li, Balrog, Zangief, Dhalsim, Blanka, Akuma, M. Bison, Guile, and E. Honda. Flying the flag for the latter-day characters we have Alex, Seth, Juri, and everyone's favorite grinn?ing maniac, Luke.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvijkQaRaZI

There are a whopping 35 Street Fighter x Minecraft character skins in total, including Sakura, Rose, Poison, Cody, Violent Ken, and even that loser, G. They all look pretty g??roovy, I think you'll agree. It's neat how much personality can be afforded these incredibly basic character models. These are just model skins, so I don't think Ryu will be hitting hadoken anytime soon. At least he can attack you with a pickaxe, just like in Street Fighter III.

The real news here is Juri being one step closer to world domination �a platform I not only support financially, but encourage violently. Hopefully, the high-kicking Korean nutjob will turn up in some others titles soon. I expect to see her in Roblox, The King of Fighters XV, Horizon Forbidden West, and that Chip 'n' Dale tripe before the year is t?hrough. C'mo?n... You're not done already, are ya?

The Minecraft: World Warrior Pack is now available to purchase from the Minecraft marketplace, priced at 490 Minecoins, or roughly $4-5 USD. Check out the full skin pack right here.

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Happy 50th, Disney World

Disney World is a comfort for many of us who have been lucky enough to attend it, but between the pandemic and rising costs of tickets, the park is harder to get to than ever. If we can't celebrate 50th anniversary of the most magical place on Earth in person, then, at least we can do it virtually in Minecraft.

That's right, Minecraft now has an official Disney World DLC pack, not to be confused with the fan-made map of Magic Kingdom that has been around for a few years. It's not the first time Disney has collaborated with Minecraft, but this is by far ??the most substantial project they've put out together. Players will be able to explore a perfect replica of the park, which is not limited to actual working attractions that they can ride on, and include classics like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and more.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuXYIBoqHm4

Just when you thoug?ht that was awesome enough, there's more, as the pack also includes wearables and items like the iconic Mickey Mouse Ear Headbands and Spirit Jerseys. Famous food items from the park are also available for purchase in-game, like the Dole Whip, my personal favorite treat to pick up when I'm at Disney.

There are also 29 different Disney and Pixar c?haracters around the map that players can meet during their virtual visit, as well as 25 themed skins that the players can adorn themselves. Of course, for the ultimate immersive experience of WDW, there are also fireworks in front of Cinderella's castle at the end of each day.

So the DLC may not be free, as it'll run you 1,340 Minecoins, or about $10 in real money, but it sounds like a pretty good value for what you're getting. Hell, I don't even play Minecraft anymore, but as a theme park enthusiast who can't afford to take more than one or two trips to the park a year these days, it could be the perfect opportunity to get my fix fr?om the comfort of my own home.

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Today's final update removes microtransactions, adds 'unreleased' content, and makes crafting and smelting faster

Not that I was paying much attention to how well Minecraft Earth was or was not faring, but the idea of a Minecraft rendition of Pokémon Go's winning augmented-reality formula seemed like a no-br??ainer, and it's surprising to hear that Microsoft is calling it quits so soon. Then again, 2020 was a bru??tal year.

In a to-the-point blog post today, Mojang said that it plans to shut down Minecraft Earth on June 30, 2021. Not only will the game no longer be downloadable on iOS or Android, it will cease to function.

If you've heard about Minecraft Earth but never bothered, now's the time – today's update strips out micr??otransactions, reduces timers and ruby costs, and adds "all completed, unreleased content currently in [Mojang's] pipeline." You'll also earn? a Character Creator item set just for logging in.

For existing fans who have invested time and potentially a fair bit of money into the game, you'll get another currency – Minecoins – which can be used on the still-very-active Minecraft Marketplace. And anyone who's bought anything in Minecraft Earth will get Minecraft Bedrock Edition as a parting gift.

As for the high-level call to pull the plug, Mojang said that "Minecraft Earth was designed around free movement and collaborative play – two things that have become near impossible in the current global situation." The team will now focus on "other areas that provide value to the Minecraft community."

"This was not an easy decision, and we're doing everything we can to make sure you get the most out of Minecraft Earth before it sunsets."

Minecraft Earth coming to an end [Minecraft.net]

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No longer Insiders-only

Earlier this year Mojang rolled out a new program for Xbox Insiders on the Windows 10 platform that allowed users to test out new graphical enhancements for Minecraft.

Framed around NVIDIA RTX boosts, the update added in ray tracing and a suite of visual upgrades to specific worlds built around them; to great success. It seems like all of that testing is done (it took around eight months), as Mojang has just made the RTX upgrades available to everyone. All you need to do is own the Windows 10 version of Minecraft and you're good to go.

From there, search the main store f??or some free RTX ??levels so you can actually experience the update in all its splendor. The names generally have "RTX" in them so they're easy to find, but here's some options if you want specificity: "Colosseum RTX," and "Dungeon Bash RTX."

Once you're in, if the RTX mode isn't enabled, just hit the ";" key to toggle it. You can do it at will, over and over! And if? your friends are in the same world via cross-play and don't have RTX capabilities (either on PC or on another platform), they'll just see the "regular" visual style.  It's pretty great.

Even if you don't play Minecraft, head to the official site and check out t?he handy RTX/not-RTX sliders on each of the pictures. It's fun!

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Building Bridges

Mojang has announced that its cubic fantasy adventurer Minecraft Dungeons will be adding cross-play support next week via a scheduled update. As of November 17, ??players on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Switch will be a?ble to rally together for exciting escapades within the creepy caverns of the Overworld.

Released back in May, Minecraft Dungeons won over a loyal army of followers with its charming and cutesy aesthetic, as well as it?s stripped-down approach to the dungeon-crawling genre, making it an ideal adventur?e title for families and kids to enjoy together.

December will also see the launch of third DLC expansion Howling Peaks, bringing new dungeons, enemies, gear, and missions to the title. The continued drip-feed of continued, coupled with the cross-play update, should help consolidate the Minecraft Dungeons playerbase and thus extend the title's life-span for the foresee??able future.

Heroes, are you listening?!

Cross-platform play arrives on November 17 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows and Xbox One! It’s almost time to join forces – whatever platform you play on! pic.twitter.com/wDusUWYYOY

— Minecraft Dungeons (@dungeonsgame) November 11, 2020

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All Mojang games will, actually

You're going to be blocked from playing Minecraft if you don't add some security to your account. Minecraft's owner has mandated that a Microsoft account is required for all of Mojang's ??games.

The reason for the change is mostly focused on security and safety. It'll allow for two-factor authentication, it'll introduce improved parental controls, and it'll enable chat and invitation blocking. Another perk is that all Minecraft PC games will be connected to the same acconut.

This affects all editions of Minecraft, from the original Java Edition to the most current version. Microsoft assures everyone that nothing else will change, though. Microsoft says "You'll also keep your Minecraft Java username, and new players will still get to choose their Minecraft username." Once you've completed the free account migration, you'll receive a cape for your trouble; the cape can?? be seen in the gallery below.

It's all going down relatively soon. Anyone with a Java or Mojang account will have to make the switch sometime ea??rly next year. New players will have to create Microsof?t accounts rather than Mojang accounts starting this fall. 

Java Edition is Moving House [Minecraft]

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It's been a long dig for block-boy

Yesterday, Nintendo revealed that Minecraft avatar Steve will be the next DLC character joining the star-studded roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. While the news may have come as a surprise to some fans of the uber-popular crossover fighter, it seems that plans for Steve to join the Smash Bros. party go back as far as five years ago.

Speaking on Twitter after the reveal, former Mojang business developer Daniel Kaplan claimed that talks between Nintendo and the Minecraft developer began "at least" five years ago. This would suggest that Nintendo was considering a Smash x Minecraft crossover around the time of SSBU's?? initial conception, perhaps even envisioning Steve as a base roster character?.

Whenever it comes to the cross-fraternising of licences, there is always much red tape to sift through, and given that both Minecraft and Smash Bros. are two of the biggest franchises in gaming, no doubt the road to securing Steve's arrival was a long one. Still, this only makes Steve's ultimate appearance all that more astonishing, and arguably the biggest reveal the Smash franchise has had since Snake made his debut way back in 2006's Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Minecraft's Steve (not forgetting Alex, Zombie, and Enderman) will join SSBU as paid DLC in the near future, available as an individual purchase or as part of the Smash Bros. Fighter's Pass. More detailed information is ex?pected from Nintendo tomorrow.

guess when these discussions started? Any taker? @ZhugeEX ? //t.co/TWz2dsxVXa

— Kaplan (@Kappische) October 1, 2020

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Bring the family

If you include its alpha period, Minecraft turns 10 years old this year.

I know! For some that's a long time; but for others, it feels like it's always been there. For years the folks at Mojang have been slowly building on the original concept, boosted by C418's beautiful score and the promise of limitless creation. After Microsoft took control of the property, Minecraft only expand?ed from there on new platforms, with cross-play uniting people all across the globe.

Now that everything is beyond stable??, it finally feels like it's the right time for a spinof??f.

Minecraft Dungeons (PC [reviewed], PS4, Switch, Xbox One)
Developer: Mojang Studios, Double Eleven
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Released: May 26, 2020
MSRP: $19.99 (Standard Edition), $29.99 (Hero Edition), also on Xbox Game Pass

Minecraft Dungeons is a little more straightforward than Minecraft proper. Kicking off with an epic (and I mean that in the literal romantic sense) intro in the signature blocky style, the framework of having to stop the misunderstood-but-ultimately-tyrannical Arch Illager is easy to grasp but still very Minecraft.

The mechanical premise is just as painless. Dungeons is a dungeon-crawling action-RPG (ARPG) in the style of Diablo, but with simplistic control and design philosophies that a lot of ARPGs could learn from. For instance, your health potion is on a cooldown: there's no need to annoyingly micro-manage them. Food is eaten automatically and provides limited-time buffs. Your dodge is linked to RB (R1) or the right analog stick, where you can roll in any direction (on a cooldown to prevent spamming) like God of War, which also serves? as a w??ay to "leap" across gaps.

Beyond managing your skills, a standard melee slash, and arrow shots, you're good. While hardcore inventory-puzzle-solvers might long for more, it's a great compromise that helps keep you in the game and out of menus. Of course there are menus, but they're st?reamlined and meant for a small amount of customization for your melee/ranged weapons, suit of armor (one slot), and three optional relics.

Minecraft Dungeons also eases in roguelite tendencies in a non-annoying way. Upgrades (called "enchantments") are random rolls for each item, akin to something out of Rogue Legacy. They encourage players to re-roll characters and try out new builds, or enchant brand new items to see what they get (and salvage them for parts or more enhancement points if they are dissa?tisfied). Dungeons themselves are also randomized (with a method to their mad?ness — sometimes too methodical) to promote replayability.

Part of that replay factor, mind, is predicated on the wacky powers that enhancements grant. Abilities can cleverly chain, like equipping firework arrows then imbuing your bow with the "multi-arrow" enchantment for a spread of explosive projectiles. You also might build your character a certain way, like attaching a piece of armor that fires out an occasional stunning blast with the fishing rod (one of several callbacks to classic Minecraft items) to c?hain stun and focus? on controlling elite enemies.

Even though there might not be as many raw abilities compared to other ARPGs, the combinations remind me fondly of the Ultimate Alliance/X-Men Legends series. Some enemies can get stunlocked or stomped too easily if you go too far, but given that the developers have openly said they're okay with overpowered builds, you just have to choose not to use them if you're uncomfortable with it. The?re's more drawbacks to that laissez faire approach, like wonky auto-aiming for ranged attack?s and frequently unhelpful map navigation. But the mentality works as a whole and those shortcomings are easy enough to compensate for.

If you're not content with solo play, you can go in with four friends locally or online (without mixing the two, and cross-play is coming later). Extra difficulties (Adventure, then Apocalypse) are unlocked sequentially after beating the game (a process that you can do the first time in an evening), which offer tougher enemies and better rewards. You can jack up the difficulty of individual missions on a sliding scale for improved rewards. The entire game is scaled, actually, and even postgame settings are all on the same shared world map (like Nioh). You don't even need to beat every level to reach the final bo??ss.

Although there's a lack of building mechanics, Dungeons is true to the Minecraft aesthetic. The world looks the part, and the camera is positioned just right to allow players to focus on the environments and character models while providing a bird's eye lay of the land. The unique bits of Dungeons also shine through on their own merits: if you don't laugh when the anthropomorphic keys (who have little legs!) try to wiggle free, you don't have a heart.

There is a certain fatigue involved with playing Dungeons for extended periods. The world and its environments are compelling, but by virtue of making every character baseline the same, there's? no real connection to the story. That story, mind, is very brief and mostly lore table setting for each zone, with layouts that can feel very guided at times. There also aren't enough unique minibosses to encourage experimental postgame runs, and having DLC "coming soon" on the world map rubs me the wrong way, even if the base game feels complete and is budget-priced, and the DLC is included in the 10-dollars-more hero edition.

Although Minecraft Dungeons might not have the depth that a lot of hardcore dungeon crawler fans are looking for, it's an easy game to pick up and play at pretty much any point: solo or otherwise. Minecraft has proven itself to be quite the enduring and endearing IP over the past decade, and Dungeons is now partially responsible for that legacy.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by ??the publisher.]}

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It's actually really simple, you just need a proper graphics card

So the Minecraft RTX N?VIDIA and Mojang/Microsoft project is now in beta, which brings ray tracing into the fold.

In case you missed it, Microsoft canceled the high-quality texture pack for Minecraft for technical reasons, which was set to bring Minecraft into a new generation of visuals, giving it a complete over??haul. As a concession, we're getting RTX ray tracing, so long as you have the proper RTX graphics card to actually handle it.

Want in? Here's how.

Basically, you need to download the Xbox Insider app from the Windows 10 Store on PC. Once you've launched that, go to "programs" and select the Minecraft RTX beta from the drop-down menu. From there, simply opt-in, hit apply, then load Minecraft from said store and go to the marketplace. You'll f?ind several NVID?IA RTX worlds to download: grab those, hit "create new world" and select one of them. Done!

Microsoft has provided several sample worlds to roam around in, and has allowed creators to craft their own RTX-enabled worlds. As a note, you can only use the new RTX features in worlds created for it, and yo?u can toggle the "old" visuals and the new RTX ones by pressing ";" (semicolon) on the fly. It's a nice feature that's ??not unlike a lot of retro remasters that let you swap aesthetics in real-time.

Note that you'll need a hefty graphics card to actually make use of it. While Minecraft can easily push multi-hundred FPS levels normally, toggling on ray tracing pushes it into the 10-50 FPS level for most rigs. While NVIDIA is calling it "playable," it is a beta after all, and more optimization (as well as technological advances) are to come. From experience, I can say the difference is huge. Although Minecraft is billed as an?? accessible game at heart, hardcore ?players with big rigs will likely love the changes to the point where they won't want to toggle them off and revert to the days of old.

If your PC can't run it or you're just curious, the below video will give you a taste of w?hat's to come. You can also find the full detailed instructions on how to get in in the very same place. As a reminder, The Xbox Series X is going hard on ray tracing, so expect to see this rolled out in the next generation. In other words, the beta is perfectly timed.

Minecraft NVIDIA RTX FAQ [Minecraft]

How to access the beta: 

To access the Minecraft with RTX beta, follow these instructions if you are not currently on a Minecraft Win 10 Beta.

• Install the Xbox Insider Hub app on your PC (it is available for free in the Windows Store)
• Inside the app, click on the open box icon in the sidebar on the left
• On the Insider content screen, you will see a beta available for Minecraft for Windows 10. Click on the Minecraft for Windows 10 beta
• Click the “Join” button at the bottom of the screen
• On the following pop-up you will see three radio buttons- one will be for Minecraft RTX Beta, one for Minecraft Beta, one for Unenroll. Choose Minecraft RTX Beta, then click Done.
• If you have automatic updates on from the Windows Store, Minecraft will automatically update to the latest RTX beta build available.

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A family-friendly dungeon-crawler should hit the spot

Minecraft Dungeons, Mojang's co-op dungeon-crawler Minecraft spin-off game, won't launch in April 2020 as expected (and I'm sure you can guess why). The game's new release date for Xbox One, PC, P??layStation 4, and Nintendo Switch is May 26, 2020 – a relatively minor bump, all things considered.

This delay is in fact "due t?o the current state of the world." The studio "wanted to guarantee the health and safety of our teams, and empower them to deliver the best possible experience to the community."

So much of the IP plainly isn't for me these days, but I'm pretty fond of Minecraft Dungeon's look and feel. There's no shortage of hardcore action-RPGs and dungeon-crawlers, so it's ??neat to see something that can speak to younger audiences and especially families given the four-player local/online co-op.

It should be a breezy Xbox Game Pass chill-out title. As a parting note, there are two editions – Standard, which is $20, an?d Hero Edition, which is $30 – and most of us can safely skip the latter. It comes with a pair of future DLC packs, a pet chicken, two character skins, and a hero cape.

Mojang expects to release a free update adding cross-platform multiplay?er sometime after launch.

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Some things never change

When it comes to Minecraft, the 2010s are leaving the exact same way they entered: With Mojang's sandbox builder as hot as blocky lava. Time has not yet begun to carve away at the phenomenon of Minecraft.

YouTube has just released a year in review-style video for 2019, and Minecraft was the most-watched video game. It wasn't even close, really. Minecraft eclipsed 100 billion views. Fortnite, which came in second place, managed 60.9 billion. Rounding out the top five are: GTA Online in third (36.9 billion views), Garena Free Fire in fourth (29.9 billion views), and Roblox in fifth (29.6 billion views).

Minecraft's dominance isn't anything new, but it's impressive nonetheless. Last year, YouTube confirmed that Fortnite's mega-popularity wasn't really threatening Minecraft's stra?nglehold on the top of the charts. It might stay this way for another decade.

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Yes, you can beat Minecraft

For the record: yes, you can "beat" Minecraft.

Odds are you've heard of the "Ender Dragon." Once you've located a "stronghold" and activated the "End Portal" within, you can access the new zone of"The End," thus kicking off a boss fight with said dragon: slay it and you win! The thing is to get to that point you need tons of gear, which is usually acquired by mining: the key function of Minecraft. Well, YouTuber Hedgey ignored all that.

Instead, they impressively avoid mining anything, and only spelunk down in caves with explosives or pick up all of their gear wi??thout ??mining one piece of wood or rock. Their weapon of choice until something better comes along? A loaf of bread!

Although this truncated clip of the run won't mean much to someone who doesn't play Minecraft (there's a lot of menu management and farming), everyone who has partaken in t??he global phenomenon will find a lot of tricks buried within this gem of a run.

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Answer the call

Mojang has released the opening cinematic for its fun-looking dungeon-crawler set in the cubic fantasy world of Minecraft. Minecraft Dungeons, which launches in the second quarter of 2020, will see a party of box-headed heroes band? together to overcome the forces of evil.

The cinematic tells the story of a outcast Illager who stumbles across a lost artifact offering them untold power. Returning to their village as an almighty sorcerer, the man once laughed out of town is now a monster, capable of commanding armies of men and monsters ?and bringing about destruction an??d havoc at will.

In Minecraft Dungeons, up to four players will guide their custom heroes through an array of forests, castles and dungeons - gathering loot and engaging in combat with the evil beasties roaming the land - on a quest to stand face-to-face with the all-powerful Arch-Illager . A Diablo-style game set in the Minecraft universe sound like a pretty fun co-op venture, and fans of Minecraft and the dungeon-crawling genre in general might want to kee??p an eye out for this neat-looking title.

Minecraft Dungeons is expected to release on PS4, PC, Xbox One and Nint???endo Switch in spring 2020.

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Strong foundations

Microsoft figures show crafting adventure Minecraft still continues to pull in millions ??of new players with each passing year. According to the publisher, some 20 million new players have lifted the pick-axe since October 2018, resulting in a grand total of around 112 million monthly players across all formats.

Speaking with Business Insider, Minecraft studio head Helen Chiang noted that part of Minecraft's appeal? is its dur??ability in the face of other video games. "What we find is that it's a game that players keep coming back to," said Chiang. "It may not always be the one that's in the forefront, because there are a lot of great games that continue to come out, but it's one that they love to return to."

Officially launching in 2011, Minecraft was eventually purchased by Microsoft in 2014 for a staggering $2.4 billion, guaranteeing the future of the brand for generations. Since then, Minecraft's cultural and global dominance has continued with each passing year. Having been ported to multiple platforms, received several spin-off games, and been regularly referenced by the mass media, Minecraft continues to build upon its legacy, cementing its status as one of the biggest video game releases of all time, if not the biggest.

Minecraft now has over 112 million players [Business Insider]

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Did you flinch?

While Lyle continues his scientific j??ourney of unwarranted bullying, here's what's been happening in video games this past week:

• Yakuza 7 is coming with a different take on combat!
• Oh god, the bees are now in Minecraft!
• Telltale Games has risen from the grave and more!

For the most part, bugs don't bother me too much. Bees only mess with you when you mess with them, while wasps are just universal dicks. I think that's fair to say, right? But spiders? Spiders enter a whole other realm for me. I ca?n't stand them. The sight of one in person turns me into a crumpled mess.

However, even in video ?games, I have a hard time dealing with spiders. Cartoony or less realistic variations of them I can handle, but the moment spiders have a hint of realism in their art direction; is the moment I become a little piss baby that doesn't wanna play anymore from pure fear.

I was actually relieved the giant spiders were omitted from the Resident Evil 2 remake. As another example: I distinctly remember playing Skyrim at launch and I could not deal with the giant spiders in that game. From how they looked, moved, and sound -- they scared the hell out of me.

I ended up installing a mod that replaced all the spiders in the game with bears, just so I could keep playing it. Returning to Skyrim again in recent years, though (on PS4 for a brief period), for whatever reason it wasn't as bad as my initial encounter with them. So??, maybe I'm just getting better at dealing with them, maybe I just didn't find those spiders as realistic looking anymore. Who knows!

Discharged question of the week: Do you have any phobias that translate into the realm of video games, in? turn making them extra difficult to play for you?

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Two years later, the dream is dead

This one stings a bit, even for people with only a passing interest in Minecraft. Two years after Mojang promised the Super Duper Graphics Pack, the developer has decided to move on, citing feasibility concerns. The eye-catching visual upgrade won't be coming to Xbox One X – or anywhere else.

Th?e original trailer for the graphics pack, which debuted at E3 2017, still impresses me to this day.

"Super Duper was an ambitious initiative that brought a new look to Minecraft but, unfortunately, the pack p??roved too technically demanding to implement as planned," Mojang wrote today.

"We realize this is disappointing to some of you – there was a lot of enthusiasm for Super Duper from inside and outside the studio – but unfortunately, we aren't happy with how the pack performed across devices. For this reason, we're stopping development on the pack, and looking into other ways for you to experience Minecraft with a new look."

From the outside looking in, it seems like at least one of the concerns was with ongoing support of Minecraft across all devices and platforms and how the Super Duper Graphics Pack might fit into those plans long-term. Minecraft is everywhere these days, and the team has been striving f?or consistency.

For its part, Mojang did slip in a glimmer of hope for fans who want a better-looking experience. "Minecraft is available on a wide range of platforms, and we're constantly trying to make the most of the technical ?architecture of each one. We'll be able to share more on that subject very soon."

For now, at least, we'll have to leave all the wild graphical showpieces to the modding scene. Never underestimate the impact of a good shader, even on a game as "simple" as Minecraft.

Super Duper Graphics Pack Ceasing Development [Minecraft]

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Grab it now if you want it

Another title from Telltale Games' back catalog will be disappearing this year. Minecraft: Story Mode, the spin-off of Mojang's insanely popular craft-a-thon, will be leaving digital marketplaces on June 25, 2019. All platforms and both seasons will be affected, which includes an insane amount of legacy consoles. Story Mode had a home on PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360 along with mobile devices and current-gen hardware, so there's potentially a lot of customers that might b??e losing access to these games.

In a message over on the official Minecraft website, publisher Mojang insists that players download all remaining episodes prior to them being delisted. I'm not sure if that is just a precautionary step, or if the servers on each platform will actually cease to host the titles for users that already own them. This isn't completely unprecedented as a few games on Xbox 360 (and, famously, P.T. on PS4) can no longe?r be downloaded regardless of ownership.?? If you aren't sure you if you own any or have them downloaded, check now.

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Crafting is complete

4J Studios has done a terrific job with supporting Minecraft on legac?y consoles. Originally launched in 2013 for PS3/Vita and 2015 for Wii U, the games have continuously been patched with new content and performance fixes to get the most out of each respective platform. At long last, 4J is putting a cap on that as it ann?ounces today's update will be the final patch for these older consoles.

Sending it off in style, the final update will include the "Nightmare Before Christmas Mash-up Pack" for players to dance around as Jack Skelling??ton and smash bricks. I guess it's never too ?late to start on a recreation of Halloween Town.

4J Studios [Twitter]

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Don't shoot the food

When I played years ago, Minecraft was a lonely and contemplative chill-out exploration game backed by soothing tunes from C418. That's how I preferred to play it, anyway. I kept the action to a minimum. Going in the completely opposite direction, there's Minecraft: Dungeons, a new spin-off title.

Announced this weekend at MineCon, Dungeons is an up-to-four-player action game "inspired by classic dungeon crawlers." My mind immediately went to Gauntlet, but there's not much footage to go on.

According to the summary, you'll "discover new weapons and items that will help you defeat a ruthless swarm of new-and-nasty mobs.? Fight or flee through canyons, swamps and – of course – mines!" The levels are said to be "ac??tion-packed, treasure-stuffed, [and] wildly varied."

Minecraft: Dungeons is aiming for a 2019 launch, and Mojang describes the game as a "passion project" from a "small and dedicated team in Stockholm, ?Sweden." PC is the only confi??rmed platform so far.

Minecraft [Twitter]

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