September 20, 2017 is the big day for Minecraft players. The free Better Together update that enables cross-play has been distributed by Mojang. It is now available for the Xbox One, Windows 10, VR, and mobile versions of the game. However, people with physical copies of the Xbox One version may have to wait a day or two for their update request to be processed and the Nintendo Switch version of the update has been delayed.
The reason for the Nintendo Switch Minecraft Better Together delay has to do with preparations for cross-play. Mojang’s update notes that it wants “to make sure that everything is ready to bring this platform onboard.” A Winter 2017 release window has been offered for that system’s update.
It is also important to note that there are some Better Together update limitations and requirements in effect for people who own physical copies of Minecraft: Xbox One Edition. The official FAQ states, “Owners of the disc version of Minecraft: Xbox One Edition will have until January 30th, 2018 to have played Minecraft for five or more hours in the past 12 months OR purchased a DLC Pack.” This only applies to people with the discs, as those who have downloaded the digital version of the game have no cut-off date.
Minecraft is available on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, New Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, Android devices, Apple iOS devices, and Amazon Fire.
