Although Minecraft released less than seven years ago and hasn’t yet received a full-scale sequel, Minecraft has firmly established itself as one of the most popular video games of all-time; it was beloved by players shortly after it was made available, and to say it’s still going strong today would be an understatement.
The title was created by Mojang, a Swedish video game company, as well as its founder and former lead developer Markus “Notch” Persson. Notch and his fellow Mojang founders sold the franchise to Microsoft Studios for $2.5 billion in 2014—a staggering sum that’s indicative of the transferred product’s promising long-term possibilities.
Since making this tremendous investment in the series, Microsoft has adapted, updated, and expanded its reach so that players have more in-game fun to experience than ever before. Specifically, the game has been released for the PS4, Wii U, Switch, 3DS, PlayStation Vita, tablet, mobile phone, and virtual reality platforms, following its acquisition by Microsoft. Additionally, an episodic Story Mode spinoff was created based on the title.
Perhaps the best part of the game’s remarkable growth and continued success is that the future looks very, very bright; the content that’s in-store for the title’s many fans is sure to impress.
Let’s take a look at the recently released Minecraft content, as well as the content that gamers can expect to enjoy in the near future!
Cross-Platform Play
Gamers have long dreamt of experiencing seamless cross-platform play—or the ability to play a game with individuals who’re playing on a different brand of console—and now, thanks to Microsoft and this one-of-a-kind series, they can do so.
The “Better Together” update was released in late-September, and it allows players on the Xbox One, Windows 10, Android, iOS, and the Switch systems to experience online multiplayer together. It should be noted that the Switch version’s cross-platform play is nearly finished being developed, and will launch sometime in early 2018.
One friend can be playing the game on his or her phone, another on the Xbox One, and another on the Nintendo Switch (or any other combination of the listed consoles), and flawless multiplayer will be possible. It doesn’t matter if you’re away from home or relaxing in your den—playing with friends is easy.
While the title’s cross-platform play is already excellent, there’s a pretty good chance that it’ll expand sometime in the future, to encompass even more platforms.
Update Aquatic—A New Way of “Crafting” While Underwater
The Update Aquatic, scheduled for release in Spring 2018, looks as though it could be the biggest and most “game-changing” update in series history.
This update will include brand-new and completed redefined underwater graphics, a plethora of new underwater creatures (including fish and dolphins), completely new weapons (the famous “trident” among them), new activities, buildable aquariums (wherein sea creatures and decorations can be stored), and much more.
In short, the Aquatic Update will completely reinvent the work’s already-fun underwater settings, and there’s no telling what kind of craziness will ensue from competing and cooperating players as they play the title on their favorite platforms.
The Super Duper Graphics Update Will Transform Graphical Quality
The game’s graphics have always been… blocky to say the least, and to be sure, this design style is an important part of the title’s appeal. With that said, upgrades to the title’s appearance that don’t reinvent the wheel, so to speak, will undoubtedly be welcomed by new and longtime players alike. And that’s just what the Super Duper Graphics Update will produce.
Scheduled to debut sometime in 2018, the Super Duper Graphics Package will make the work’s colors brighter and its textures more vibrant and pronounced, and will aid its overall graphical clarity and detail. A quick online search of this update will reveal a side-by-side comparison of its graphics and the game’s current appearance, and the contrast between the two is astonishing.
This contrast also makes clear why the aptly named Super Duper Graphics Update has been delayed—it’s “super-duper” in size!
Minecraft: The Movie
With so much happening in the actual game, it’s not hard to forget that the world-famous franchise is expanding beyond the digital entertainment sphere and onto the big screen.
That’s right—a movie based upon the series, written and directed by It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator, writer, and star Rob McElhenney, along with writers Jeffrey Jurgensen and Jason Fuchs, is scheduled to release on 24 May 2019.
As anyone who’s watched McElhenney’s work on Sunny can attest to, he’s a fantastic writer, storyteller, and comedian, and these qualities will undoubtedly coordinate to make his upcoming film more than worthy of the fan anticipation surrounding it.
There’s never been a better time than today to be a fan of the game series. Thanks for reading, and remember that cross-platform Nintendo Switch play, the Super Duper Graphics Update, and the Update Aquatic are scheduled to release in 2018!
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