Well, it certainly took longer than expected. But anyone who’s been anxiously waiting to play Minecraft on their Oculus Rift, without having to master any third-party software, finally have the opportunity to do so. Provided you’re one of the relatively few people playing Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition instead of the full game.
Fans around the globe were shocked this week when they learned Mojang shuttered Minecrift, the third-party mod that let Rift owners play Minecraft in virtual reality, but the studio is finally offering its own support for Oculus’ first VR headset. The news comes courtesy of an update to the Mojang blog, like most new Minecraft announcements, where Marsh Davies outlined some of the features players could expect in VR. As expected, there are some optional changes to the movement system -- for those who still get queasy when playing VR -- and updated options menus so players can make graphical adjustments as needed. To be honest, we’re not sure why Mojang decided to gives Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition the VR treatment, instead of the vastly more popular Java release, but here we are.
If you weren’t aware, Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition is actually a slightly improved version of Minecraft: Pocket Edition -- which doesn’t include all the content seen in the original desktop release -- built specifically for the latest iteration of Microsoft’s operating system. There’s generally more than enough content to scratch that Minecraft itch, if you’re stuck commuting or waiting for a movie to start, but few who’ve spent time with the desktop build would say Pocket Edition (and, by extension, Windows 10 Edition) can hold a candle to its predecessor. On the plus side, the Win10 port is also $17 cheaper than standard Minecraft.
Moving along, Mojang also published a short video outlining how the studio approached the task of preparing Minecraft for the jump to virtual reality. Don’t go in expecting a full documentary, since the full clip is just under four minutes long, but the video does offer an interesting peek behind the curtain for one of the biggest games in the history of the industry.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for more Minecraft news throughout 2016 and however long Mojang supports Minecraft in the years to come.
