We also learned that Minecraft Realms will connect players across platforms, including across Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Project Scorpio, iPhone, Android, virtual reality (VR), Windows 10, and Windows 10 Mobile versions of the game. Minecraft Realms is Microsoft's subscription service that allows players to create a dedicated Minecraft world to share with their friends. Thanks to a new bedrock engine, Microsoft will ensure that all modern versions of Minecraft will reach feature parity moving forward, including the new Minecraft Marketplace for partner-created addons. The bedrock engine simply refers to a new scalable version of Minecraft that is cross-platform compliant. The Windows 10, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile versions of the game all share the same code. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more You might wonder why PlayStation isn't on this list, and we have some bad news for Sony gamers.

I asked Microsoft why Sony's PlayStation 4 (PS4) and PS4 Pro aren't part of the program. Sadly, it looks as though that ball is in Sony's court. Microsoft said it would "love" to bring Minecraft Realm connectivity to every platform, but PlayStation won't be joining the party at this time. If you're interested in getting Minecraft Realms on PlayStation, your best bet is to poke the lovely people at Sony for answers. The original PC version, now dubbed the "Java Edition," will continue to receive the same updates, and in fact, it has more developers working on it than ever before. But constraints of the engine mean full compatibility with the bedrock versions of the game will be impossible. Moving forward, every version of Minecraft will simply be known as "Minecraft," when they're part of the bedrock engine. The Java Edition and PlayStation Edition will remain separate for now. Additionally, there are no plans to upgrade the Xbox 360 or PS3 versions of the game. Minecraft as a platform With the coming updates, Microsoft is aiming to transform Minecraft into a scalable platform for socializing with friends, gaming across devices, and creativity. With the Minecraft Marketplace coming to all versions, players will be able to purchase all sorts of add-ons, ranging from skins to entire adventures built by the Minecraft community and curated by Microsoft. Creators will be able to earn money from their projects, whether they're hand-crafted expansions or uniquely modded and maintained servers.