E3 2018: Minecraft is getting Nintendo Switch & Xbox One crossplay this month

Brad Stephenson

Minecraft on Xbox One and Windows 10

Minecraft wasn’t mentioned in the Xbox conference at all this E3 but it was given several seconds during Nintendo’s and this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance confirmed that the new version of the popular video game would be coming to Nintendo Switch consoles on June 21st.

The Minecraft video game is already on the Nintendo Switch but this new version will replace the current one and will bring with it feature parity with the game on most other platforms.

In addition to the online marketplace where gamers can buy and sell their Minecraft creations, this new version will also enable Nintendo Switch owners to play with Minecraft players on other platforms such as the Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, Windows 10 Mobile, iOS, and Android. Sony’s PlayStation 4 console does not support cross-platform functionality.

On June 21st, this new version should replace the current one with a free update and all progress and content from the current version will carry over.

This new version of Minecraft has already been spotted in the digital storefront on some Nintendo Switch consoles and physical versions of it are now available to buy in online stores such as Amazon. Here’s the official game description.

Minecraft is bigger, better and more beautiful than ever! Build anything you can imagine in Creative mode, or go on grand expeditions in Survival across mysterious lands and into the depths of your own infinite worlds. Discover tons of community creations and share the adventure with friends across different platforms! Online multiplayer will be free until the Nintendo Switch Online service launches in 2018.

Are you excited to finally play Minecraft with gamers on other platforms? Let us know in the comments below and make sure to follow us on Twitter for more Minecraft newsNeed to catch up on all of the Xbox E3 announcements? Check out our coverage of it all here.