Minecraft on consoles has reached an interesting turning point. With the advent of Battle Mode, console Minecraft is starting to diverge from PC Minecraft. Battle Mode is an entirely new feature, loosely meant to add cool multiplayer features like the ones that standalone PC servers provide. Meanwhile, the PC Combat Update still hasn’t showed up on consoles yet. So, which do we want next? More cool multiplayer features, or new blocks and new endgame content? Combat Update or Battle Mode?

Minecraft Console Update: More Battle Mode Or Combat Update?

Minecraft Battle Mode really came out of nowhere, but Mojang wanted to spice up the multiplayer element of console Minecraft, and spice it up they did. Battle Mode is just what the console editions needed and it’s the harbinger of more such things to come. Much of the life of Minecraft plays out on servers, maps and mods not available on the console editions – a competitive multiplayer mode at least helps to even out the disparity. With any luck, Battle Mode will be just the tip of the iceberg.

But still—PC Minecraft is getting farther ahead again. The Combat Update has been out since February and it brought major changes to the game… most notably a full revamp of how combat and mining work. It also fleshed out Minecraft’s endgame by dramatically expanding what players can do in the End, the dimension where the Ender Dragon resides. Now, PC Minecraft is already starting to get updates beyond the Combat Update. The next version, known as Frostburn, is bringing polar bears and lots of new monsters and village mechanics. It’s cool stuff.

The Combat Update will come to consoles eventually—but it seems pretty likely that the focus is on Battle Mode for now. That’s what the last few updates have addressed and what Microsoft has been talking about. More significantly, the Combat Update’s new features mostly involve endgame content, which most players will never see. The combat changes affect everyone, but they’ve been divisive. So it makes sense for Mojang and 4J Studios to prioritize cool new content that everyone can use.

Luckily, Microsoft seems to be making Minecraft development more of a priority for both PC and consoles. PC updates are speeding up and new features like Battle Mode are distinct from anything in the PC edition. It’s an exciting moment, but come on guys. We want our end cities.