Microsoft built its Xbox brand onHalo: Combat Evolved, but the range of Microsoft-owned titles has become incredibly diverse with time. TheXbox Game Studios umbrella grows with acquisitionslike ZeniMax Media and its subsidiary Bethesda Softworks last year, but few have arguably made as much of an impact as Microsoft purchasing Mojang and its popular sandbox titleMinecraftfor $2.5 billion USD in 2014.
Many people might not think aboutMinecraftas an Xbox property considering it’s still available on competing Sony and Nintendo consoles, but it has become a cornerstone of Microsoft’s brand recognition over the last seven years. In fact,Minecraftwas prominantly featured in matketing material for theXbox’s 20th anniversary in 2021. It’s the best-selling video game of all time and continues to implement new content every few months, so it’s strangeMinecraftdoesn’t have PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions over a year into the latest console generation.
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Minecraft Grows Bigger All the Time
Minecraftwas an international sensation years before Microsoft acquired Mojang, having hosted its first dedicated convention in 2010 prior to the game’s official 1.0 launch during MineCon 2011. What began as a barebones building game with voxel-based graphics had evolved with a myriad of additional mechanics, inspiring copycat games and launching untold numbers of careers on social media.Minecraftvideos on YouTube collectively passed a trillion viewsin December 2021, and the franchise is nowhere near the end of its life.
Major updates have changed the face ofMinecraftsince Microsoft’s acquisition, including The Nether Update in 2020 and most recently its two-part Caves and Cliffs update.The Wild Update was announced at Minecraft Live 2021, set to revamp swamps and other overworld biomes, as well as introduce the “Deep Dark” underground. Multiple differentMinecraftgames have also expanded its reach, from an augmentedMinecraft: Education Editionto experimental spin-offs like the now-defunct AR mobile gameMinecraft Earthand theDiablo-like dungeon crawlerMinecraft Dungeons.
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The Benefits of a Next-Gen Minecraft Release
While Mojang has focused on growing its IP under Microsoft, the original game has also released on various devices during each new console generation. The Nintendo Switch received two different versions, with a standalone Switch edition releasing in 2017 (including unique content like aSuper Mario-themed world) followed by the standardBedrock edition in 2018 with crossplayvia a player’s Microsoft account.
However, no updated versions for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S have been confirmed as of this writing. Fans can playMinecrafton their respective next-gen consoles via backwards compatibility, and Mojang’s status as an Xbox Game Studio means its work is readily accessible on PC and Microsoft consoles through Game Pass. Yet next-gen versions could take full advantage of features that are currently untapped.
The increased technical specs on Sony and Microsoft’s recent consoles are notable, as players could expect features like render distance comparable to PC builds, and near-instantaneous loading into a game or transitions to alternate realms like the Nether thanks to their built-in solid-state drives (SSD). Games likeRatchet & Clank: Rift Apartare strong showcases for the technologyon PS5, andMinecraft’s blocky worlds should be far less of a strain.
Individual features like the PS5’s DualSense controller also offer compelling reasons to release next-gen versions ofMinecraft, as Mojang could play with functionality like adaptive triggers to differentiate mining versus combat. One big reason that would benefit both consoles is ray-tracing support. Microsoft advertised the visual potential forMinecraftwith ray tracing as early as March 2020when the feature was being implemented on Windows 10.
Minecraftwith Nvidia RTX supportwas utilized again to benefit a children’s hospital this last holiday season, so it’s clearly something fans are interested in. With both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S able to support this (likely using a dedicated graphics mode that lowers performance), it’s odd that Mojang has not gone all the way with new versions alongside its yearly content updates - especially whenMinecraft Dungeonsis optimized for the Series X/S. Perhaps plans are in the works, but with next-gen consoles difficult to come by there may not be a huge rush.
Minecraftis available now for Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
