Minecraft Mobile Update Adds Cross-Platform Multiplayer

Microsoft and Mojang have detailed the latest update for the various mobile editions of Minecraft.

Highlighting the changes in the 0.12.1 update is the ability for "up to five friends to play cross-platform multiplayer on a local network." These players can be spread across Minecraft: Pocket Edition for iOS and Android, as well as Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta.

Furthermore, the Windows 10 Edition Beta version also now allows up to five people to play together over Xbox Live.

The update has been described as the "biggest" to date, also introducing revamped touch controls, controller support, and the controller mapping screen.

"You’ll also be treated to the same enhanced weather effects that Windows 10 Edition Beta players have received, including snow accumulation and directional rain," Microsoft explained.

"In addition to plenty of new goodies to build and potions to brew, you'll now be able to encounter golems and ocelots, and even explore the Nether. Finally, this update brings the ability to sneak and sprint in Pocket Edition."

Anyone who's purchased the PC/Mac version version of Minecraft--which is around 20-plus million people--can get the Windows 10 version for free. To do this they need to log into their account on Mojang's website, click the Redeem button, and sign into a Microsoft account to claim the free copy.

Microsoft purchased Minecraft developer Mojang in 2014. Xbox boss Phil Spencer said he has no immediate plans to push out a sequel. Mojang later also spoke out to stress Minecraft 2 isn't happening anytime soon.

Minecraft : Story Mode gets a release date?

So when we seen the trailer for Minecraft : Story Mode at Minecon we was all pretty excited for the release. A listing on Amazon.com may have revealed that Minecraft: Story Mode is releasing on October 27 2015.

In Minecraft: Story Mode you play as Jesse as you tackle a perilous adventure across the Overworld.

So you might still be asking What is this game? Minecraft: Story Mode is an adventure game set in a Minecraft world. It is a five-part episodic series that will take you to the Nether, the Farlands, the End, and beyond! You will drive how the story flows through the decisions you make: what you say to people (and how you say it), and what you choose to do in moments of thrilling action.

If you have’t seen the trailer have a look here.

Amazingly Accurate Recreation Of The Shire In Minecraft

Minecraft and The Lord of the Rings have always had one thing in common: they have both consumed an ungodly amount of hours of my life. I love both very dearly. So when I saw that Reddit user "Fornad" and his buddies over at ArdaCraft have spent the better part of a year painstakingly recreating The Shire in its entirety, I nearly went cuckoo for Minecraft-puffs! (That's a thing... right?)

The insane amount of detail and attention to accuracy is astounding. Many of my favorite Minecraft builds are those that make the world look more natural and complete. And what better way to show off your terraforming skills than to build the got-damned Shire?! I posted a trailer the team put together below. But if you'd like to jump on and check out this build yourself,ArdaCraft currently run a 150 player server. If you love really cool Minecraft builds, or The Lord of the Rings, you owe it to yourself to check this out!

Play Minecraft: Story Mode at PAX Prime

Are you a fan of Minecraft? Looking forward to playing Minecraft: Story Mode? Join the masses. Unfortunately unless you live in the United States, you won’t be able to join the masses of fans getting their hands on the very first playable beta of Minecraft: Story Mode. As that is what is happening right now at PAX Prime… the lucky sods!

It was announced yesterday however that Minecraft: Story Mode will be the first Telltale game series to feature a player character where YOU choose their appearance. Players will be able to select from several different options for both male and female versions of the hero Jesse.

Check out these new screenshots from the season premiere, where you’ll get a sneak peek at several different versions of Jesse.

Minecraft: Story Mode – A Telltale Games Series is not yet rated by the ESRB. The series will be published digitally by Telltale Games in partnership with Mojang and is due for release this autumn on Xbox One and Xbox 360 along with other platforms.

C418 to be releasing Minecraft: Volume Alpha on Vinyl

I have always found the limitlessness of Minecraft to be intimidating–a world with no boundaries is a place where voxel-based chaos might likely reign. However, as someone who is easily overwhelmed by the least threatening things, I have generally found the game’s emollient, ambient soundtrack a panacea to all stresses within and outside the game. It’s hard to feel anxious when soothing music that channels Brian Eno’s Music For Airports is cradling you into sonic safety.
That’s why I was stoked to hear that the composer behind the dreamy soundtrack would be physically releasing the first volume of his work as Minecraft Volume Alpha this August. Daniel Rosenfeld, a.k.a. C418, is the German composer behind the famous virtual world’s soundscapes, and in anticipation of the forthcoming release, he compiled a four-track sampler of some of his most uplifting tracks. Mixing analog with digital, the beginning of each song recalls low tide, and as the compositions progress you can actively feel the disparate parts of the song gain momentum simultaneously and crest. It is busy yet calming, just like the surface of an ocean a couple day following a storm. Check out the four tracks below and see for yourself.



Minecraft Volume Alpha is out August 21 via Ghostly International and you can preorder the release right here. In addition to the CD and standard vinyl releases, a limited edition collection of transparent green vinyl with a 3-D lenticular jacket is also available. Check out the jacket art and track-lists for CD and vinyl below.

Vinyl Tracklist

1. Subwoofer Lullaby

2. Living Mice

3. Moog City

4. Haggstrom

5. Minecraft

6. Clark

7. Mice On Venus

8. Dry Hands

9. Wet Hands

10. Sweden

11. Cat

12. Danny

CD Tracklist

1. Key

2. Door

3. Subwoofer Lullaby

4. Death

5. Living Mice

6. Moog City

7. Haggstrom

8. Minecraft

9. Oxygene

10. Equinoxe

11. Mice on Venus

12. Dry Hands

13. Wet Hands

14. Clark

15. Chris

16. Thirteen

17. Excuse

18. Sweden

19. Cat

20. Dog

21. Danny

22. Beginning

23. Droopy Likes Ricochet

24. Droopy Likes Your Face

Minecraft most streamed video game in YouTube’s history

Minecraft is YouTube’s most streamed video game, with over 42 MILLION archived videos. YouTube announced Wednesday that content featuring the virtual brick-building video game has been watched more than any other interactive title in the 10 years since YouTube launched. 

“There are over 42 million ‘Minecraft’ videos on YouTube today,” said Ryan Wyatt, YouTube’s global head of gaming content. “It’s crazy because ‘Minecraft’ is also the second most searched term on YouTube. It’s a testament to (publisher) Mojang understanding the marketing capacity and power of our content creators.”

The blocky indie game was originally released by Swedish studio Mojang and creator Markus “Notch” Persson more than five years ago and has gone on to become a cultural phenomenon spawning books, toys and other merchandise. The franchise’s popularity prompted Microsoft to buy “Minecraft” for $2.5 billion in 2014.

“Minecraft” videos on YouTube range from crafters showing off their digital creations to virtual explorers traversing the game’s procedurally generated landscape.


In honor of the streaming video site’s 10th anniversary, YouTube released a list of the top 10 most popular games that have been streamed since the site debuted in 2005.

Rockstar Games’ gangster series “Grand Theft Auto” arrived in second place, followed by Riot Games’ multiplayer arena title “League of Legends” in the third spot, and Activision’s “Call of Duty” military shooter franchise in fourth place. Electronic Arts’ soccer simulator “FIFA” rounded out the top five most streamed games.

“It’s funny that a lot of the titles on the list tie in with the theme of open imagination and entertainment,” said Wyatt.

Other titles on the list included “Garry’s Mod,” ‘’The Sims,” ‘’Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “Puzzles & Dragon.” The complete list from YouTube:

1. “Minecraft”

2. “Grand Theft Auto”

3. “League of Legends”

4. “Call of Duty”

5. “FIFA”

6. “Garry’s Mod”

7. “The Sims”

8. “Five Nights at Freddy’s”

9. “Puzzles & Dragon”

10. “Dota 2”

Minecraft Rapid-Fire Arrow Dispenser

Check out this rapid-fire arrow dispenser!

What you'll need: 2 dispensers (Side by side) 1 Sticky piston 1 redstone block 1 block (any) 2 redstone dust MANY arrows


Place your dispensers like so; The side-by-side setup will allow the triggering setup to work properly. Load the dispensers with as many arrows as you like; this can be done at any time you choose up until firing.


Next, place your sticky piston behind the dispensers, one block to the side (your choice), facing inward. Position is vital, as it's the piston that drives the redstone mechanism.


Next, place any block you wish next to the piston on the far side of the dispenser, like so.


Place your first bit of redstone dust on top of it.


And another just here. What you're going to do from here is place a redstone block where the crosshair is positioned, behind the dispenser closest to the piston. This sends a signal up the redstone dust trail to the piston, pushing the redstone block away, breaking the signal and turning the piston off, causing it to retract and reactivate, switching itself on and off rapidly. It's this that gives the dispensers their rapid fire; each position of the piston fires an arrow. Want to turn it off? Just hit the lower redstone dust to shut off the cycling signal and bring the piston to a stop. You may end up with the redstone block pushed off of the piston, but simply mine and replace the block in the correct position, re-place the redstone dust, and you're firing once again!


If it all goes well, you should be lobbing arrows like nobody's business!


Upgrades, you say? Well, add some hoppers and chests like this and voila, you've got expanded arrow storage! Just place arrows into the chests and they'll auto-load into the dispensers. For those who -really- want to blot out the sun, add one hopper and chest -above- each of the dispensers as well for 4 chests worth of self-loading arrow mayhem.