Minecraft, meet bombshell: The promise of a master version of studio Mojang’s sandbox builder, identical across all platforms, not just functionally but at the codebase level, is finally happening.

Pop some corks and fill those glasses. But when this new version arrives, it also stands to usher in something much grander and subversive. It will shatter technical but also political cross-play barriers as adamantine as the nebulous bedrock layer at the bottom of every cube-riddled Minecraft world.

Despite efforts for years to bring Minecraft‘s many versions into alignment, the game has remained siloed in essential ways. You still have the Java-based PC edition, the franchise elder and a computers-only club (it also supports Mac and Linux) that is still the guiding template and place where new features tend to prove out first—to this version, all others are essentially beholden. Then you have the developmentally more versatile and future-proofed C++ edition, which presently works across Windows 10, iOS and Android devices. And finally there are the console editions, the most popular by aggregate sales and maintained by third-party 4J Studios. All of these versions lack precise feature parity and have no way of interacting with each other, forcing users onto separate, not-entirely-equal islands of play.

No more. With what Microsoft calls the “Better Together Update,” the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One versions of Minecraft will converge with the Windows 10, Virtual Reality and mobile versions. All will hence run the C++ version, or what creator Mojang and Microsoft have taken to calling the “bedrock engine.”

This is a move without precedent. Think about the implications. Nintendo owners will henceforth be able to play with Windows owners, who can play with Xbox owners, who can play with iPhone, iPad or Android device owners, who can play with VR edition owners. It is the first instance of unadulterated cross-platform, cross-console multiplayer that anyone’s yet seen. Momentous barely describes it.

What about your saved data and purchases and world progression if you’re rocking those things on a Nintendo Switch or Xbox One? They’ll be grandfathered in, says Microsoft, transmogrified, somehow, from the old version to the new one when you update. The idea is to make the move as seamless as possible.

“All the different platform subtitles will go away and the game will simply be called ‘Minecraft,'” says the game’s marketing lead, Emily Orrson, during a Skype presentation. “And then we’ll rebrand the original version of Minecraft as ‘Minecraft Java Edition’ so that it’s distinguished as running on the Java [as opposed to C++] codebase.'” Microsoft says the Java edition has “more developers working on it now than ever before,” and that it’s committed to supporting it. The Xbox 360 and Wii U editions, while not part of the unification process, will continue to be supported as-is.

Another literally earth-shattering change: the console editions will now have unlimited worlds. “Really what we’re talking about today is Minecraft becoming endless,” says the game’s executive producer, Jesse Merriam. “As the console editions join bedrock, there are just a number of things they naturally inherit.” Console worlds today have a maximum size of 5,120 by 5,120 blocks, or about 3 miles by 3 miles. After the bedrock edition upgrade, players will be able to walk right off the end of an existing world, then keep going.

And Realms, the game’s subscription-based hangout for worlds players want to share with others (even when they’re not around) folds in organically with the bedrock edition. “All the worlds you’ve created, all the DLC you’ve bought come to the new version,” says Merriam.

The list of impactful changes goes on. By expanding the bedrock edition to consoles, Microsoft can carry across the new Marketplace feature it just launched, wherein creators can hawk wares like skin packs, retextured overlays and custom-built worlds. The company is also pulling server access inline, so that instead of having to know the IP address and port of your destination, you’ll find several ready and waiting in a new curated tab. Which ones? At launch Microsoft says it’ll support Lifeboat, InPvP, Mineplex and CubeCraft.

And the bedrock edition itself benefits from a console perk: Instead of up to 5 players being able to adventure together, you’ll now enjoy 8-player simultaneous. Playing in a Realms world bumps that number up to 11-player, and “slightly more” than that number can play together on the Server experiences, says Merriam

What about JSON editing, the text file feature Microsoft introduced last year that lets PC players tweak the game through simple plain language commands? Is that coming to consoles, too? Not exactly, says Microsoft. But there’s a way to make it happen: “You can apply those JSON edits or add-ons to your worlds, to your realms, and you can connect to those worlds from any platform,” says Merriam. So yes, console players can play on JSON-edited worlds, they just have to do the editing on a platform that supports it.

Unification is important for another less obvious reason. Minecraft has arguably been a creative platform from the start. But it’s also been a sundered one, divided by codebase strictures and natural platform firewalls. Bridging the console divide feels transgressive in trans-gaming ways. Minecraft isn’t a bona fide operating system, but it has elements of one. It feels increasingly comparable to something more like a creative suite of tools, only one that’s operating at base levels. Think of it less as a game you can now play with friends behind the industry’s iron curtain, and more like a suite of gamified paintbox tools, each cube a kind of foundational pixel delimiting an alt-reality as pliable and capacious as anyone’s imagination.

Yes, there is an elephant in the room, and it’s squashing my word processor: Whither Sony’s PlayStation systems in all this? When asked, Microsoft’s response was to refer us to Sony, though noting that bringing Sony into the fold is something it hopes will happen. “Our goal is always to bring every Minecraft player together,” said Merriam. “Today we can confirm Nintendo Switch and Xbox One support, but our vision is really to get everyone together.” Is the holdup technical? Political? Some mix of the two? Microsoft wouldn’t say, but when asked, replied that bringing PlayStation 4 over was something it “really wanted to do.”

Minecraft Is Getting An Update That Will Change Everything

The E3 expo in Los Angeles is the gaming industry’s biggest event of the year, and Xbox kicked things off in style by unveiling the world’s most powerful console: The Xbox One X.

“It’s a monster”, proclaimed Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, and there’s no denying that the new machine packs some serious muscle, running at 6 Teraflops and boasting a custom 1172 MHZ GPU engine that kicks out so much heat it requires a vapour chamber liquid cooling system.

If that sounds like a whole heap of jargon and gobbledygook, in layman’s terms, this is the equivalent of a high-end, $2000-plus PC crammed into a living-room friendly console.

Formerly known as Project Scorpio, The One X has been designed to deliver true 4K graphics and take advantage of the latest Ultra HD TVs.

While you’ll need a high-end screen to truly appreciate its power, Spencer was keen to emphasise that there will be plenty of benefits for gamers using 1080p TVs. A process they’re calling “supersampling” and isotropic filtering means that games will look better, run smoother and load faster regardless of resolution.

Released on November 7, global time differences mean that Kiwi gamers will be the first on the planet to get their hands on the new hardware. Microsoft confirmed that it will retail at US$499, and although it’s yet to be officially confirmed, an Xbox source suggests we’ll probably be looking at a $749 price tag in New Zealand.

Forza Motorsport 7

Not content  to simply show us the latest edition of the world’s best-selling racing franchise, Xbox also gave us the first ever look at a brand new supercar, the Porsche 911 GT – not just on screen, but on stage.Obviously it features heavily in the game – and on the cover – but combining a car reveal with a driving game launch seems like such an easy win it’s surprising it’s not been done before.

The game itself looked stunning. Running at a native 4K and 60 frames per second, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a racing game look so smooth. Dynamic weather and some incredible lighting effects made it almost photo-realistic.

Although there was nothing to suggest that this game will push the boundaries in terms of what we’d expect from a Forza title, it  was so visually impressive that you’d forgive the lack of innovation. If you’ve got a 4K monitor, check out the trailer and you’ll believe the hype.

Sea of Thieves

Any new game from Rare is guaranteed to make headlines, but this shared world pirate game with an emphasis on exploration looks a little bit special.

As you’d expect from a high-seas adventure there’s plenty of treasure hunting and discovering sunken shipwrecks, but the sheer size and scale of the game, as well as its open-ended structure, makes it one to look out for.

The 10-minute gameplay trailer was one of the lengthiest and most extensive game previews we saw at the Xbox briefing. Some of the graphics and animation looked somewhat rough around the edges, suggesting it’s very much a work in progress, but if this game delivers half of what it’s promising, we’ll be in for a treat.

Minecraft unified

When Microsoft spent US$2.5 billion acquiring the rights for Minecraft from Mojang visionary Markus “Notch” Persson, everyone expected them to have something big in the pipeline for one of the gaming industry’s most lucrative franchises. Apart from dispersing it across every platform known to man, that didn’t quite happen.

Now it seems that spreading the seed as far and wide as possible was all part of the grand plan. The first big Minecraft reveal was that the whole block-building universe is going to be united. The game will be going completely cross-platform, meaning that Xbox, Switch, PlayStation and PC gamers will all play on one unified global server. For a game that’s all about collaboration and co-operation, this is a literal game changer.

This was followed up by the announcement that Minecraft will be receiving a complete overhaul with the “super duper” 4K graphics pack. Upscaling a game which has always been deliberately low-fi may seem like a strange decision, but the new look generated some serious whoops and roars from the Galen Center crowd.

Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds

One of the biggest breakout hits of the year and a true PC gaming phenomenon was always destined to come to consoles at some point, but securing it as an exclusive is a major coup for Xbox.

The 100-player, winner-takes-all battle royale has already spawned a devoted online community and topped the Steam charts since its release in March.

Playerunknown himself, Brendan Greene appeared on stage to announce the game and if the footage show on screen is anything to go by, this looks even better than the PC version .

The concept, where players parachute onto an island and scavenge for weapons and items in Hunger Games-style deathmatch is the perfect online multiplayer game and opening it up to console players looks certain to cement its place as one of the games of the year.

Xbox back-compatibility

At E3 2015, the almost off-hand announcement that Xbox 360 games would be playable on the Xbox one stole the show. This year, they’ve doubled down on the concept by confirming that original Xbox games will be added to the back-compat library.

A system that launched in 2001 might seem almost antiquated when compared to today’s 4K Ultra HD titles, but good game design is timeless and fans have been clamouring for all-inclusive Xbox compatibility for a long time. The only title shown at the briefing was Crimson Skies, but you can count on the fact that more games will be added to the library in the coming months.

The best of the rest

We could spend another 10,000 words on the rest of the games announced at the Xbox briefing, but here’s a brief rundown of some of the other big games scheduled for release over the next year or so:

• Metro Exodus
• Crackdown 3
• Assassin’s Creed origins​.
• Dragonball fighterZ
• ​The Desert mmorpg
• The Last night.
• The Artful Escape (coming when it’s damn ready)
• Codevein
• Super Lucky’s Tale
• Cuphead
• Ashen
• Life is Strange: Before the storm.
• Middle Earth:Shadow of War
• Anthem

​

– Stuff

Microsoft unveils Xbox One X: The world’s most powerful console

Microsoft is adding a new marketplace – and a brand new currency – within the video-game Minecraft, opening up the opportunity for businesses to sell their original content and creations to tens of millions of the game’s players for the first time.

Set to go live in the next few months, nine businesses will be selling feature packs within Minecraft – such as new storylines, in-game activities or landscapes to explore – with prices ranging between about $1 and $10 per creation.

Other companies can apply to be allowed into the marketplace over subsequent months. Users wishing to purchase content will need to buy a form of new currency – Minecraft Coins.

“For the first time we are going to enable creators to come in and put content into our store alongside the same content that Minecraft makes,” said John Thornton, the game’s executive producer at Microsoft.

“The real impetus is to let creators connect to players and help them make a living on top of Minecraft.”

A store within the game does already exist but is limited to only items created by the Minecraft development team. The change to allow third-party developers to sell their wares within the same ecosystem opens up an entirely new business model for independent creatives.

The Minecraft Marketplace will not be available on all platforms – a notable exclusion being Microsoft’s own Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation games consoles – but will be available on Windows, iOS, Android, as well as the Apple TV, the Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR virtual reality platforms, and even Amazon’s Kindle Fire.

Developers are free to set prices for their creations. “We don’t have a strong price cap,” said Thornton.

“If we have content that shows up that everybody agrees is of significant value that a consumer might want to pay more than that, we’ll have that conversation. Ultimately it’s up to the creator to decide.”

The new coins can be bought via any supported device that features an app store, such as iOS, Android or Windows.

These coins will live in a user’s Microsoft Xbox Live virtual wallet and be accessible for marketplace purchases on any platform. Microsoft would not confirm the exact figure developers would receive from the revenue share after it and app stores took their cut, but Thornton said it would be over half.

“We have a model that allows us to give more than 50 per cent of revenue to the creators,” he said. “They’re all happy with that revenue split and we’re happy with that as well.”

There are restrictions, however, to protect Minecraft’s large numbers of young players.

“Every piece of content in the store is reviewed by Minecraft,” said Thornton, so much like Apple’s app store nothing is likely to hit virtual store shelves without it being vetted first.

By adopting an in-app payment model, Microsoft is moving into a territory well-trodden by so-called freemium mobile apps. Pokemon Go, which is free to download, generated almost a billion dollars of revenue in 2016 through in-app payments, according to data compiled by research group App Annie.

 – Bloomberg

Minecraft to get its own currency

One of the most popular video games of all time is helping students combine innovation and education.

Opaheke School is one of 400 around the world taking part in the Microsoft Showcase School digital learning initiative.

The project was launched by the technology giant to prepare students for the workplace using up-to-date resources, mobile and online tools.

Students at the school are now using the computer game Minecraft to assist with learning in different subjects as part of the project.

The game, which has sold more than 70 million copies worldwide, requires students to build their own worlds using 3D objects and materials.

The school’s new digital learning hub, which opened last year, was designed through the ideas students came up with through the game.

It’s also being used for literacy and science subjects where students create the worlds they are learning about.

Associate principal and programme leader Nikkie Laing says digital education is helping teachers and students explore new ideas.

Minecraft is helping students “visualise ideas in a more constructive way” and it’s more than just entertainment, she says.

“It’s pretty obvious they are learning and not time wasting… it’s purposeful and productive. It’s another hook for us teachers and the students can work and create together.

“Communication, problem solving and collaboration are the skills the kids need,” she says.

Laing recently travelled to Budapest as part of an educator exchange conference hosted by Microsoft and won an award for best presentation. She spoke about the impact online tools are having in keeping students and teachers connected.

Year eight student Callen Trethowen​ recently used the game for a school project on Antarctica. It helped him explore the features of the Scott Base research facility while interacting with research scientist Regina Eisert​.

Fellow student Hannool Lee says Minecraft is “a fun way of learning”.

“It’s making us want to do school work because we get to use our computers,” he says.

The school has three specialist teachers driving the project and they work closely with Microsoft to share ideas and innovations with other schools.

Minecraft part of students’ learning at Opaheke School

Minecraft PS4 will continue to get updates from Mojang despite Sony not agreeing to implement its Better Together update, which enables cross-play.

Writing on the official blog, following Minecraft update 1.52, Mojang confirmed it will support the PS4 edition going forward.

Here’s the full quote:

“As you probably know, we’ll soon be bringing you the Better Together Update, which will combine console and mobile editions into one super-lovely version of Minecraft – but that doesn’t mean we’re twiddling our thumbs in the meantime! Console Edition will still be getting updated with new features, and those platforms which won’t support the Better Together Update will continue getting updates even after it lands.”

The Better Together update will allow players of PC, mobile and Xbox to use their saves on any platform.

The Minecraft developer has apparently been trying to persuade Sony to change its mind about implementing the next major Minecraft update, but it appears that Sony isn’t budging.

Still, it’s good news that Minecraft PS4 players can still look forward to future updates of the stupidly popular sandbox adventure.

Minecraft PS4 updates to continue despite Sony’s stance on cross-play

Minecraft PlayStation, Xbox versions updated with new features; Nintendo Switch, Wii U update coming tonight

For some perspective, that means it has been watched more than all five Super Bowls over that same time period combined. Way more.

Middleton, better known as Dan TDM, may not be a household name yet, but he’s one of YouTube’s brightest stars and biggest successes. For five years, he’s mixed real-world video footage with gameplay from the video game Minecraft to draw a giant audience of kids and parents.

Now he’s bringing his first-ever live tour to Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall to see if the pug-filled, evil-twin-inhabited digital world he’s created will translate beyond the Internet.

“You’ll see quite a few of the characters from YouTube, like scientist Dr. Trayaurus and my evil twin, Evil Dan,” Middleton said.

And yes, that includes the pugs, which appear in the show, but are also Middleton’s real-life pets.

“We love them because they’re quite lazy so it gives me ample time to make videos,” he said. “I won’t say they don’t bug me, but they’re just really great at chilling out.”

The storyline for the stage show involves Dan TDM being kidnapped by Evil Dan, who gives him a series of gaming challenges. During some of those games, the entire audience participates from their seats. At other points, some audience members are brought on stage.

There’s a giant screen where the gaming happens, which includes a level custom designed for the live show by the online social gaming platform Roblox. It usually goes smoothly, but Middleton concedes that when you’re playing a game live in front of an audience, “unexpected things can happen.”

It’s a busy time for Middleton. Late last year he released his first graphic novel, Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal, and he wants to do another one. He continues to release daily content on YouTube while he’s traveling for the tour, lugging hard drives worth of material around with him, and even filming and editing in planes and hotel rooms along the way.

“I just love what I do I guess. I think you have to, in order to have a crazy schedule like this,” he said. “But I just find it really

YouTube’s Minecraft sensation Dan TDM brings live show to Clearwater

Minecraft—the wildly popular video game that lets you build things out of virtual bricks—has emerged as a favorite of architects and enthusiasts eager to make everything from imaginary Brutalist buildings to miniature cities. But Su Yijun, a 22-year-old aspiring architect in Zhuhai, China, has created a true Minecraft marvel: a detailed replica of Beijing’s Forbidden City covering a site of 100 million blocks.

The virtual project had broken ground with the help of volunteers back in 2013, but when Su joined the group in 2014, they decided to start again from scratch. Su eventually became the project’s chief organizer, researching traditional Chinese architecture in order to perfectly replicate the palace’s nearly 1,000 buildings. He researched structure, decor, materials, and architectural history, even visiting the real-life site to learn details he couldn’t find elsewhere.

But this was tricky too: “Many areas are not open to the public,” Su told Sixth Tone. “And because of the exhibits, the interior decorations in the Palace Museum were not the same as how they originally appeared.”

Su worked with fellow Minecraft players to build the replica, but at one point their construction team was down to just him and another player. The effort, though, was worth it: “Through this, I hope to impart some knowledge about architectural aesthetics,” Su said, “and share my thoughts on architectural design.”

Minecraft replica of Forbidden City covers a grid of 100 million blocks

The game update will bring graphical updates, cros-platform servers and many new features to add fun to the game: stained glass, books, and banners. The later can be placed on walls or lie on the ground and they are made out of wool. The banners are the perfect medieval decorations. If you want an adventure map, then you can use books and quills. Your imagination will also be tested with the stained glad feature.

This new feature of the “Minecraft” Better Together update will allow you to design buildings in several colors and you will also be able to change Beacon colors. Regular glass block will probably fade in front of the new stained glass. Many “Minecraft” fanatics have written online what other new features they would like the game to have.

The update expected this summer will unify the Nintento Switch and Xbox One versions with the PC (Windows 10) and mobile versions of the game. This cross-platform play will be possible with the help of the Bedrock Engine. Players from any device will be able to gather together and enjoy the game. Play Station 4 will also be added to the cross-platform play. This coming together of players using multiple devices will help the expansion of the content creator and “Minecraft” Marketplace.

So far, the “Better Together” update, announced at the Xbox E3 press-conference, seems very promising and fans are very excited for its release. The PC version will be the only one to have a subtitle: “Minecraft: Java Edition”. The game will only be called “Minecraft” with other devices: Xbox, Nintendo Switch, VR and mobile versions.

Console players are excited to receive this news, especially if PlayStation 4 owners will also be able to enter this platform. Nintendo’s vision seems to be about unification and getting all players together in one place.

Minecraft Better Together Update Announced at the Xbox E3

Minecraft is one of the biggest games ever, and with that comes with one of the largest communities ever. From mods to fanfiction and more, people are finding interesting and unique ways to be a part of their favorite game.

One of the biggest contributions to the community are videos about the game. Here are five fan-made videos about Minecraft that are worth your time.

1. Minecraft Hardcore – PBGGameplay

YouTuber PeanutButterGamer is best known for his series of longform comedic videos of various video games. However, he also has a very successful let’s play channel. And by far the most beloved series on that channel is his Hardcore series.

The premise of Hardcore is that PeanutButterGamer and a bunch of other YouTubers and friends set out to complete the main quest of a game. The catch is that if a person dies, they’re out for the rest of the game. The rest go along until either they complete the quest or they all die.

It’s pretty much a live and more genuine version of something like The Walking Dead, zombies and all. In between the threat of death, everyone on the team is all goofing around and bonding with each other. And when they inevitably die, it’s all the more heart-wrenching. Seriously, for all the silliness that goes on, some of the deaths in Hardcore are really sad. Everything is accentuated by the impeccable editing, which use music and special effects at just the right moment to really drive the mood.

PBGGameplay has five seasons of Hardcore for Minecraft, though I recommend the fifth one as that has the best production values and most memorable moments. He also has Hardcore seasons for other games like Terraria and MineZ.

2. Brentalfloss’ Minecraft Song – Brentalfloss

There are tons of musical parodies of Minecraft, but few are original songs. Enter YouTuber Brentalfloss, who does a brilliant job of summing up the appeal of Minecraft in a one and a half minute song. Describing it here would only spoil the experience, so take a look for yourself.

Brentalfoss has many other musical spoofs of video games in his extensive “With Lyrics” series, taking the melody of a popular video game song and adding lyrics that both celebrate and lampoon the game.

3. Lion King in Minecraft (Circle of Life) – CraftedMovie

This video recreates the opening sequence of Disney’s The Lion King but with the mobs from Minecraft. Watching this video side by side with the original, its amazing to see just how much this video gets right. The setting, camera angles, character acting, and original a cappella music are all spot on. It’s impressive in how authentically it recreates the mood of the original movie.

4. An Egg’s Guide to Minecraft – Element Animation

An Egg’s Guide to Minecraft is one of the better known animation series on Minecraft, also also one of the better ones. Featuring fun characters, jokes, and well-made animation, there’s a reason this series has lasted from 2012 to 2016.

The series is so well known, in fact, that the voice of the villager was featured in an April Fools update to the actual game in 2014 where the voice replaced the sound of the mobs and music. The update can also be accessed by downloading a mod.

If that doesn’t prove its prominence, I don’t know what does.

5. Realistic Minecraft – Nukazooka

Hardcore Henry meets Minecraft Hardcore in this fan film. The first-person perspective mends beautifully with the special effects to create a surprisingly intense yet humorous take on what Minecraft may look like in real life. Personally, I think this should be a new feature. Augmented reality, anyone?

Minecraft YouTube Videos: 5 Fan-Made Works You Need to See