Minecraft Nintendo Switch Edition has been out for quite some time, but there is a new version out now utilising a new engine which brings in one big benefit- cross-play.
The Bedrock Engine used in these new releases is basically the same as the old engine powered by good old Java, but it brings cross-play between the many devices you can play Minecraft on. This is part of the Better Together initiative unveiled at E3 2017 on Minecraft-owners Microsoft’s stage which brings cross-play to almost all versions of the game.
Now Nintendo Switch, one of the big three consoles of this generation, joins the long list of platforms that support cross-play the launch of the Bedrock version of the game, simply titled Minecraft.
Cross-play is a highly touted feature, to the point that the launch trailer focusing on entirely on players on Xbox One and Nintendo Switch playing together. This and the recent banter by both official Twitter accounts is obviously taking advantage of the recent news on how Sony not wanting to play ball with cross-play in particular the issue with Epic accounts- mostly used for Fortnite- cannot be activated on other consoles should it already be associated with an account tied to the PS4.
Owners of Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition can download the new version of Minecraft for free. All content, including DLC and saved worlds can be transferred to the new Minecraft. You will need to register a Microsoft account to access cross-play and make purchases from the in-game store.