Microsoft introduces Minecraft to Chromebooks

Microsoft unveiled a preview of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition for ChromeOS today, allowing users to operate it on Chromebooks and facilitating cross-device gameplay among friends.

Previously, Mojang, the developer of Minecraft, released Minecraft: Education Edition for Chromebooks in 2020, but it necessitated school-issued licenses or Office 365 education accounts for access. The latest rendition of Minecraft is available to any Chromebook user meeting minimum specifications and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

To ascertain whether their devices fulfill the minimal operating requirements, users must verify via the Google Play store. The development team asserts that this approach aims to expand access to more players for performance testing rather than to select players exclusively. Currently, Mojang has not disclosed a timeline for the full release of Minecraft on Chromebooks, as the present focus remains on eradicating bugs and conducting tests.

Simultaneously, in order to receive approval from regulatory bodies for the acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard, Microsoft recently inked a decade-long agreement with Nintendo, Nvidia, and Boosteroid. Ubitus, a Japanese cloud gaming service provider, became the fourth company to sign a similar agreement, assuaging the concerns of regulatory authorities and competitors to some extent.

Of course, Sony is unlikely to endorse such a stance, continuing to oppose the transaction. The onus now lies on Microsoft to persuade various regulatory bodies.