14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has announced that Minecraft will continue being available across all platforms, including the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, the company's main competitors in the home console market.
When the deal regarding Microsoft's acquisition of Mojang and Minecraft started being circulated in the rumor mill, many started to worry about the game's evolution in the future, fearing that the Redmond-based tech giant would attempt to somehow gate Minecraft to its own platforms.
The new guys in town
Now that the deal is official, with Microsoft getting Mojang for $2.5 / 2€ billion, the company has decided to put any and all conspiracy theories to rest, by publicly announcing continued support for all platforms that the block-stacking phenomenon is currently available on.
"At Microsoft, we believe in the power of content to unite people. Minecraft adds diversity to our game portfolio and helps us reach new gamers across multiple platforms," Xbox head Phil Spencer explains on the Xbox wire.
"Gaming is the top activity across devices and we see great potential to continue to grow the Minecraft community and nurture the franchise. That is why we plan to continue to make Minecraft available across platforms – including iOS, Android and PlayStation, in addition to Xbox and PC," he continues.
The Old Guard
Mojang itself, the maker of the whole thing, has made sure to assure fans of what is generally perceived to be a cultural phenomenon that transcends the boundaries of the actual video game that Microsoft has no plans to stop supporting or developing products for other platforms.
"There's no reason for the development, sales, and support of the PC/Mac, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Vita, iOS, and Android versions of Minecraft to stop. Of course, Microsoft can't make decisions for other companies or predict the choices that they might make in the future," the studio posted on its blog.
The company has noted that it's proud of all the editions currently available and that it's excited to see even more awesome things achieved in the future.
"Minecraft will continue to evolve, just like it has since the start of development. We don't know specific plans for Minecraft's future yet, but we do know that everyone involved wants the community to grow and become even more amazing than it's ever been. Stopping players making cool stuff is not in anyone's interests," an entry in the Q&A reads.
For the time being, Minecraft sold over 54 million units worldwide, with Xbox One and PlayStation 4 ports having just been released, and with a PlayStation Vita edition also nearing the final stages of development.