‘Minecraft’ Better Together Update Available On Xbox One, How To Get In

Big changes are coming to Minecraft on the Xbox One, and those interested can check them out now. The Better Together beta is now available to download, but there are a couple of steps needed to take to begin exploring the upgraded experience.

How to get the Minecraft Better Together Beta

You will need to own a digital copy of Minecraft: Xbox One Edition. The beta does not support those who own the disc.

With that prerequisite out of the way, go to the Xbox Store and download the Xbox Insider Hub app, if you have not done so already. You can do a search for “Xbox Insider” in the store to find it quickly.

Now, open the Xbox Insider Hub app and look at the menu on the left-hand side. Select the “Insider Content” option, and you should see the Minecraft Better Together beta listed on the screen under available games. Select that and you’ll be on your way to installing the game and playing after a brief download.

Similar steps can be taken for Windows 10 owners via the Windows Store app to download the beta there.

What’s in the beta

The Minecraft Better Together update moves the game to the new Bedrock Engine. This is a more powerful and better-optimized game engine that will allow for infinite worlds, a larger render distance, and better graphics just from a gameplay standpoint.

More importantly, this brings the console edition of Minecraft closer to the PC version by allowing players to connect to community servers and create their own personal servers via Minecraft Realms. There are currently three featured community game servers in the Minecraft beta – Mineplex, Lifeboat Network, and InPVP’s Nova Space Station.

Additionally, this is the version of Minecraft that supports cross-play with Windows 10, Android, and iOS devices. The Nintendo Switch will also be added to the cross-play list eventually.

It also supports keyboard and mouse play if you have a USB version of both of those handy to plug into your Xbox One.

Note that all existing Minecraft DLC owned by the player will automatically be transferred over to the new Bedrock Engine version. Existing worlds can also be transferred over, and the previously limited borders will now continue to generate more world when players reach the edge of the map.

Finally, it is worth noting that an in-game marketplace has been added with the Minecraft Better Together beta. This is where approved community members can sell skin packs, texture packs, worlds, and more for players to try out. These typically cost a couple of dollars to $10 for the larger mash-up pack style options.

What’s in the future

The Minecraft Better Together update is tentatively scheduled to be released this fall. The exact release date will be based on how quickly all the bugs in the beta can be squashed.

[Featured Image by Mojang/Microsoft]