[E3 2017] Minecraft players on Android soon to be able to play with PC gamers

This E3 has seen Microsoft present several bits of news on Minecraft – a key one being the imminent option to unify all versions of the game into a single “entity.” This means gamers who play the Pocket Edition for Android can share servers with ones from Windows 10, iOS, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and VR devices.

The “Better Together” feature will arrive this summer as a free update to the Android app, while users of desktop machines will need to download a new client to be able to use it. In other words, in the case of PC you’ll have to download the game from the Windows store instead of using the old Java version.

But that’s not the only exciting development. This update also (finally!) adds a new system of open servers to let you create and share games easily: anybody can create a game or join up with others through a new sub-menu within the game itself to browse between the open sessions. Still, the private servers will stick around in their current form.

The other big change that will also affect the Android version is the support for 4K graphics. The upgrade to the resolution comes to all versions that get the update – though this isn’t the case for changes to the illumination and the setting, which should roll out in the form of a DLC for the PC and Xbox One editions. Nonetheless, the latter upgrades are completely optional and won’t affect people who want to keep the traditional Minecraft aesthetic.

At the moment, Sony’s left out.

More info | Minecraft official site