Minecraft fans were thrilled when Microsoft and Mojang announced plans to unify several branches of the game’s development tree to give Xbox One, VR, PC and Switch owners a shared world to build and explore together for the first time. Most fans were excited when the BTU was originally announced, since it’s supposed to tear down the walls separating players on different platforms, but the implementation has left quite a bit to be desired.
Eurogamer spotted a number of complaints from the Minecraft community that take issue with the changes brought by the Better Together Update, some of which are even gaining steam on Microsoft’s official Minecraft feedback site. For starters, the Better Together update is actually a new launcher for the game, separate from the various console ports we’ve seen in recent years. Instead, the new build is based on Pocket Edition, which has traditionally sported a much smaller feature list than other versions.
A reduced feature list wasn’t the only issue though. Many Minecraft players are angry about the changes to the game’s UI. The update is much less controller friendly as the new UI is clearly meant for touch screens or mice and keyboards. The changes also broke many player’s’ creations. Some have also struggled to get old Minecraft maps working with the newest version of the game. Microsoft released an official map transfer tool for the Better Together update, but many, including EG, had that process derailed by an error. The time lost on each attempt (~30 mins.) adds up quickly.
The good news is that the original version of Minecraft is still available on the various platforms that already received the Better Together Update. Anyone who can’t tolerate BTU’s lessened interface or world transfer issues can keep plugging away at their most recent build in Xbox One Edition while they wait for the Better Together experience to improve.
Minecraft is currently available on every major gaming platform under the sun, from PS3 and Xbox 360 to Nintendo Switch and a litany of smart devices. The Better Together Update is available for Xbox One, Windows 10, VR devices and any portable electronic compatible with Pocket Edition.
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