Minecraft’s Bedrock update will make its way to PS4 on December 10, 2019, bringing full platform cross-play with it. This news comes after multiple retailer listings appeared leaking the forthcoming update. The update’s most notable feature is the addition of PS4 cross-play with all other current-generation Minecraft platforms including Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, mobile, and PC. 4-player split-screen has also been added, along with an in-game marketplace for people to access additional Minecraft content.
Minecraft Bedrock is a free update for those who already own the base version of the game. Those who want a physical version will have the ability to purchase it with the game’s latest 1.14 update for $29.99 at retail. The retail version also comes with the Starter Pack, which includes 700 tokens for you to spend in-game. This unified version puts players from all platforms on the same page. And now the PS4 version will also have the Minecraft Marketplace, which gives players access to new worlds, skins, mini-games, and mash-up packs.
In 2019 alone, Minecraft had over 100 billion views on YouTube, making it the most-watched game of the year. And of course, Minecraft is the best-selling game of all time, reaching a staggering 176 million copies sold as of May 2019. Even the monumental Grand Theft Auto V can’t take down Minecraft.
Cross-play has become more prominent as we approach the next generation of consoles. Sony was notoriously against allowing cross-play functionality for the PS4, but has slowly come around to opening the feature to all developers. The likes of Fortnite, Rocket League, and now Minecraft and plenty of other games be played with those on other platforms, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare launched with the feature built right in.
You can expect Minecraft’s Bedrock update (Buzzy Bees, version 1.14) to be available to download on December 10th, starting at 8am PST. To cross-play with Xbox One players, you’ll need to log in to an Xbox Live account, though you won’t need Gold or any paid access.
[Source: PlayStation Blog US]