Minecraft
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'Minecraft' update brings cross-platform play to Nintendo Switch June 21st
Minecraft players on Nintendo Switch will soon build massive forts and slay monsters with more of their friends. The sandbox phenomenon will get cross-platform support when the Bedrock update arrives on the console June 21 -- gamers can play with their buddies across Switch, Xbox One, PC, mobile and VR.
Next 'Minecraft' update will be the last for older consoles
If you love playing Minecraft on the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U or PS Vita, the game's developers have some bad news for you. The next update, called "Update Aquatic," will be the last that is compatible with these platforms.
'Minecraft' is a microcosm of Microsoft's gaming strategy
Minecraft is pretty important to Microsoft. Not only did the company spend $2.5 billion in 2014 to own the world's most popular building-block game, but just last week it promoted Matt Booty, the head of Minecraft, to corporate VP of Microsoft Studios. As far as Microsoft sees it, there's a direct line from Minecraft to Gears of War, Halo and all of the company's major first-party games. And now, with Booty's ascent, there's a new Minecraft boss.
Microsoft unveils cheap laptops and more tools for education
When it comes to the lucrative education market, Microsoft doesn't want to be left behind -- especially when that Google's Chromebooks are increasingly popular with schools. Microsoft's big selling point this year? More cheap Windows 10 notebooks starting at $189, and a Minecraft: Education Edition update focused on chemistry. As you'd expect, the company also has plenty of updates in tow for its Office 365 education tools, which should make lives easier for teachers and students alike.
The best mobile games
Mobile gaming has come a long way. Over the past few years we've gone from simple distractions like Snake, Words With Friends and Doodle Jump to full-on narrative experiences crafted specifically for Android and iOS devices. What's more, at least a few traditional console game developers have shifted entirely to mobile at this point, and, in a bit of a reversal, they've ported their games to consoles. By 2012, game-design toolsets like Unity and Unreal made a charming indie designed for mobile devices indistinguishable from one you'd play on a PlayStation or Xbox. As such, for the purposes of this list, we're focusing on games that have been released within the past five years.
'Dragon Quest Builders' arrives on Switch in February
Square Enix's Minecraft-style construction game Dragon Quest Builders is coming to Nintendo Switch on February 9 next year. The game -- which was released last year on PS4, PS3 and Vita -- sees players gather materials, reconstruct towns and fight monsters through a sprawling RPG. It's all very Minecraft-esque, but offers a more structured gameplay with a proper storyline -- in this instance, restoring the world of Alefgard.
The best Xbox One games
The Xbox One has come a long way since its 2013 debut. Microsoft has fixed the console's hardware flaws with the One S and the recently released One X, but now it has a different problem to address: a dearth of compelling games you can't play anywhere else. In recent years the company has relied on timed third-party exclusives that eventually make their way to other platforms or are also available on Windows and Steam. It happens on PS4 as well, but the difference there is that Sony has a wide assortment of games that you can only play on its console. That's not to say there aren't exclusive games worth playing on Xbox; it's just that they're buried among annual Forza racing games, middling modern Halo releases and the testosterone-fueled Gears of War franchise. Microsoft has promised to break out of that predictable release cadence, though, so the future could be brighter than you may have come to expect. As it stands, these are the best Xbox One games you can play right now.
'Minecraft' now livestreams building sessions directly to Mixer
A large part of Minecraft's allure is showing off your work. And now, it should be relatively easy to do that in real time. Mojang has released an update that lets you livestream directly to Microsoft Mixer (its parent company's service, naturally) from within the game on Android devices, Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One consoles. If you've just finished recreating an entire country, you can take people on a live tour without starting a broadcast in a separate app or service first. And your audience doesn't have to simply watch, either.
Giant 'Minecraft' graphics upgrade delayed to 2018
The Minecraft team had a bunch of news at their MineCon Earth convention, but the biggest news may be what's not happening. Mojang and Microsoft have delayed the launches of both the Super Duper Graphics Pack and cross-platform Switch multiplayer to sometime in 2018. They're not elaborating on the reasons behind the delay, but in both cases the features simply aren't finished. More information on the graphics delay is coming "soon," according to the creators.
Each of your kids can have their own YouTube Kids accounts
YouTube has been steadily improving its Kids app for youngsters lately, and now Mountain View is giving it a bit of a revamp. Parents will be able to create profiles for each of their kids now, and even better, they'll be accessible regardless of the device you're using. More than that, when you're doing account setup your little one's landing page will adjust based on their age. A blog post says that the younger the kid, the profile will have less text, for example.
'Stranger Things' invades 'Minecraft' with new skin packs
Minecraft players who love the upside down of Stranger Things have a new skin pack to acquire. It's available now in concert with the new season of the hit retro-horror show on Netflix. It looks like the whole cast is represented as a Minecraft character, including Hopper, Mike, Eleven, Dustin, Lucas and Will.
Chat app Discord opens official game channels
Gaming-focused chat app Discord is partnering with developers on official chat channels. Verified Servers are places where a game's community can hang out, talk and get news straight from the teams that made the games. Think of them like official forums, but with real-time communication versus asynchronous. Just look for the checkmark badge next to a server profile and you should be good to go. Developers can even add Discord badges to their website's social links and directly to their game's main menu. As Polygon notes, so far Minecraft, Offworld, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Supercell have set up shop.
Microsoft's all-in-one 365 subscription is available for schools
Microsoft just launched its latest bid to bring its services into every aspect of schools and the workforce. To begin with, it's offering its all-encompassing Microsoft 365 subscription to education. Schools can pay a single per-person rate to get Windows 10, Office 365, the Enterprise Mobility and Security Suite and even Minecraft: Education Edition. Office 365 for Education is already free, but Microsoft is betting that all the other perks will be worth it for faculty that wants a one-stop shop for the software they need. It'll be available on October 1st -- too late for the return to school, so don't be surprised if you don't see this used in earnest until the winter semester or next fall.
The big 'Minecraft' cross-platform update is live, but not on Switch
The Better Together update brings the biggest set of changes to hit Minecraft in years, expanding the Community Marketplace, streamlining access to third-party servers and uniting the game across platforms -- and it's all live today. Well, most of it is. Better Together is rolling out across Xbox One, Windows 10, virtual-reality and mobile versions of Minecraft right now, but it won't hit the Switch until later this year. Microsoft's original plan, which it unveiled at E3 in June, was to launch Better Together on Switch at the same time as the other platforms (hence the title of the update). PlayStation 4 was never part of the equation for this initial rollout. "We just flat-out couldn't get those two completely in sync," Microsoft Studios Corporate Vice President Matt Booty says.
'Minecraft' adds 'Oregon Trail' to teach kids about frontier life
If you went to school in the US in the early 1990s, chances are you have fond memories of playing the computer game The Oregon Trail. Now, schoolchildren around the world will be able to replicate that experience thanks to a new Minecraft: Education Edition integration.
'Minecraft' is available on Nintendo handhelds right now
Surprise! Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition is out today on the Nintendo eShop, with a physical version coming in the future. The game is playable on the New 3DS, New 3DS XL and New 2DS XL -- leaving original 2DS, 3DS and 3DS XL owners in the dust.
Microsoft unveils 'Minecraft' edition Xbox One S
How devoted are you to Minecraft? Devoted enough that you want your console to be a living, breathing representation of the construction game? If so, you're in luck. Microsoft has unveiled a limited edition Minecraft Xbox One S that drapes the entire console in Mojang's blocky art style. There's a grass block on the front, a transparent, redstone-laced bottom and a Creeper-themed green controller (there's an optional pink, pig-themed gamepad). Naturally, it'll include a copy of Minecraft (with the Better Together update).
Minecraft’s annual convention is now an online stream
Minecon has been a popular event for Minecraft fans since 2010, but this year the good people of Mojang are switching it up. Instead of a physical convention, it will host Minecon Earth -- an interactive, live show that will be streamed online.
Share your 'Minecraft' creations in 3D
Minecraft is all about creating 3D worlds, but sharing them outside of the game has always been a 2D experience -- you're sharing screenshots and videos like with any other game. Microsoft wants to do something better. It's releasing a beta version of its Better Together Update that, in addition to cross-platform play (more on that later), lets you export your creations in 3D. If you have Windows 10, you can use Paint 3D and Remix3D.com to showcase your work from every angle.
'Minecraft' novel by 'World War Z' author is now available
As strange as it sounds, Minecraft got the novelization treatment, and the final product is now out for purchase. The good news is that the Mojang team put Microsoft's millions to good use by commissioning Max Brooks, author of the apocalyptic zombie novel World War Z. Minecraft: The Island apparently tells the story of a hero who got stranded on a mysterious island and ends up unraveling its secrets.
