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Minecraft Creeps Its Way To New-Gen Consoles And Vita In August
Minecraft fans have been anxiously awaiting the mega-hit’s arrival on new-gen consoles. Today, Mojang and Microsoft have announced that the wait is only a few months longer.
For those jumping in for the first time, Minecraft: Xbox One Edition will be available for $19.99. If you already own the Xbox 360 version (disc or digital), the upgrade will only be $4.99. Disc owners will need to have played online to confirm their ownership.
You’ll also be able to import your saved games from the Xbox 360 Edition to Xbox One. Most (but not all) skins and and textures will also make their way across the generational divide (but not back to Xbox 360).
PlayStation gamers won't be left out this summer. An upgraded version of the game will be coming to PlayStation 3 and Vita as a free upgrade for anyone who has purchased digitally on PS3 already. An upgrade from the retail version is not yet guaranteed, but Mojang is working with Sony on that.
For new customers, the price will be $19.99. A single purchase on either PS3 or Vita gives you access to play on both platforms. All of the existing DLC on the PS3 version will work on both, also.
PlayStation 4 owners will be offered the same pricing options as Xbox One owners. $19.99 gets you a new PS4 version, and $4.99 will allow you to upgrade your digital copy. Again, Mojang and Sony are currently exploring how they will manage upgrades from retail PS3 copies. The same skins and texture issues are present here, though much of the content will make the leap. Neither new-gen platform will support cross-play with other platforms, and you won't be able to move your saves from new-gen hardware to older consoles.
Our Take
Minecraft fans have been clamoring for the bigger worlds that new-gen versions will offer. The upgrade price is a nice nod to fans, as is the ability to import saved game data. I suspect that the textures and skins that don't make the jump will be limited by licensing and not technology. Given how rapidly Marvel agreements run out, those skins might be among the casualties.
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