Minecraft on Xbox One retail release date revealed

Microsoft announced that, following the digital debut of the Xbox One version, Minecraft for this console will arrive to retailers, in physical format, starting November 18, 2014, and it will cost $19.99. Players who own Minecraft on Xbox 360, be it on disc or the digital version, can upgrade to the Xbox One edition for only $4.99. In order to be eligible for this upgrade, you need to connect to Xbox Live with your account while playing the already owned Xbox 360 game.

If you transition from the Xbox 360 version to the Xbox One version of Minecraft, you will be able to play in worlds up to 36 times larger, according to Microsoft. They also assure users that their creations and DLC can be easily transfered from one console to the other. The game can be played in co-op with four player split-screen on a single console or with up to eight players through Xbox Live.

The PlayStation 4 version of Minecraft will arrive at retailers in physical format starting October 3, 2014, which is much faster than the Xbox One version. Also, a Day 1 patch will be available at that date, which, according to the developer, will ensure the best Minecraft experience on PlayStation 4. The Vita version is not out yet, but Mojang assures that they will release more information on it soon. According to the latest news, 4J Studios, who is handling the porting to this console, has already sent the code to Sony for approval, so it won’t be long until the actual release.

It’s rather curious that the PlayStation 4 version gets a retail release before the Xbox One edition, considering that now Mojang is owned by Microsoft. There is no difference in quality between the two consoles, since both versions run at 1080p resolution at 60 FPS. Plus, there is no exclusive extra content announced for any console, so there’s really no extra work to be done before release. In conclusion, this can only mean that the time difference between the two Minecraft releases is a pure business decision.