Minecraft Gets Out of Exclusivity in Android, iOS Versions Would Come Out Later
Minecraft will now be available for Android devices as Minecraft Pocket Edition. It will not be an exclusive for Sony Ericsson's Xperia PLAY only in Oct. 29. Minecraft for iPhones and iPad versions would come out later.
The most popular indie game today that features building with blocks and crafting items as a main game mechanic in a sandbox world is now listed in the Android market at $6.55 USD. The original Minecraft version was created by Markus "Notch" Persson and now by his company Mojang, this game was released last May 17, 2009.
Minecraft Pocket Edition will include 36 different blocks, randomized worlds, has multi-player and ability to save the maps in your device, and ability to invite other players into your map via wireless according to its Android Market listing.
It also says that the game was optimized for Xperia PLAY. The game requirements for it is Android 2.3 and up but may change to older Android versions to reflect it coming out of exclusivity.
There is also a video demonstrating the touch controls of the game in a Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY. The artwork for the game was said to be a work in progress meaning it may change in the eventual Android release. The control lets the right thumb control the direction a player looks while the left thumb operates the onscreen d-pad for movement.
It also has auto-jump and a button for jump in the middle of the d-pad if you want to jump by yourself. This might prove a problem jumping over ravines or for the 1.8 update where the game introduced the long jump.
Mojang has also said that there would be an iOS release eventually. A bold move for an independent game developer as most of the time Apple takes a long time or denies application of apps. Most of the developers release in the iOS first before going into Android or Windows because of that.
There are still no word yet on how the 1.8 update or the upcoming 1.9 update would apply to Minecraft Pocket Edition. Meanwhile here is the video of the demo of Minecraft on Xperia PLAY.