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Minecraft players can now grab the Windows 10 Edition beta

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Update 7/28/2015 1:55PM: If you’ve just upgraded to Windows 10, and you previously owned Minecraft, you can now grab the Windows 10 Edition for free. To download a copy, you must log in to your Mojang account, hit the appropriate “redeem” button and sign up for, or sign into, a Microsoft account. The roll out is gradual, so some users may not yet see the offer — worry not, it should come online soon.

It’s available on nearly every system imaginable, including PC, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and even Raspberry Pi, and soon, Minecraft will be available on Windows 10. In keeping with the spirit of the ever-changing nature of the game, Mojang will be calling the release Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta, and it brings with it some features associated with the Pocket Edition of the game.

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In the official announcement on Xbox Wire, Mojang’s chief word officer Owen Hill stated that Minecraft on Windows 10 “will develop and evolve over time” — much like the original version did several years ago — and it’s for this reason that the studio opted to call it the Windows 10 Edition Beta. For those who already own a PC copy of Minecraft, the upgrade to the new version will be free, while it will cost $10 for everyone else, including, apparently, those who own the game on both Microsoft and Sony consoles.

Hill also stressed that the Windows 10 version of Minecraft includes several features found in mobile versions of the game, including the ability to play with other Pocket Edition players as well as touch control support. It will also include “built-in GameDVR” recording and eight-person multiplayer, both locally and online. There will also be “built-in player feedback mechanisms” to more efficiently communicate with the developers.

Curiously, although Mojang was purchased by Microsoft several months ago, the announcement still mentions the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita as supported platforms for Minecraft. In fact, back in April, Hill wrote a post specifically for the PlayStation Blog detailing new character skins, and he announced a new LittleBigPlanet content pack for the PlayStation versions of the game back on June 30 — with a franchise this big, it appears Microsoft doesn’t really care which platform you choose to play it on.

Matt Smith also contributed to this article.

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Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
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