Minecraft's "Better Together" Cross-Play Beta Has Arrived

Minecraft is breaking down gaming barriers today with the release of their "Better Together" beta update for Windows and Android devices, an update that will allow players on both platforms to play with each other for the first time.

The update was first revealed back in June during E3, and while it comes with more typical updates such as bugfixes, community servers, and other added content, the cross-play potential is probably what the game's update has become best known for in recent months. Minecraft has been one of the main games pushing for cross-play between devices, and their efforts aren't going to stop with the Windows and Android versions.

As far as other consoles are concerned, there's no release date given yet for the Xbox One version of the beta that'll allow the console players to build and chop away with PC gamers, but it's expected to come "soon" according to Microsoft. The Nintendo Switch version of Minecraft is also planned to have the same cross-play feature, but you'll notice that Sony isn't mentioned here in the list of companies that are playing ball.

Since the cross-play ambitions were announced, Sony has remained standoffish when it comes to playing nice with the other consoles. They've cited reasons such as protecting their playerbase from online interactions that they can't control as some of the factors in not supporting the cross-play, but Mojang says that they're still discussing the possibility with PlayStation.

If you're on a Windows 10 device, or to prepare for when the beta releases on the Xbox One, you can access the beta version by following the steps listed below that were provided with the announcement. Android instructions can be found here.

Joining the Minecraft Beta on Windows 10 or Xbox One:

1. Go to the Store app on Xbox One or a Windows 10 PC.
2. Search for the Xbox Insider Hub app.
3. Download and install Xbox Insider Hub.
4. Launch the Xbox Insider Hub.
5. Navigate to Insider content > Minecraft Beta.
6. Select Join.
7. Have fun and find bugs!

With how massive of a game Minecraft has become, it'll be interesting to see how the community integration plays out as they pioneer into the future of cross-play gaming.