7 ms·

The Microsoft acquisition of Minecraft is inexplicably one of the few big tech acquisitions that hasn't completely destroyed the product. It's impressive

rightbyte 5y ago
Ye well MS can't wish the old offline installers out of existence I guess.
- Wowfunhappy 5y ago
  ...is there an offline installer for Java Minecraft? I think it always downloads most of the real game at first run.
fnord123 5y ago
Eh, aside from making java and bedrock incompatible, requiring Xbox live accounts to play, deleting customer accounts in the transition to Xbox live, making realms which are different somehow from java and bedrock (many parents had a devil if a time figuring out how to setup a server for kids playing on all the platforms during lockdown)... Aside from this they didn't ruin it.
- goblin89 5y ago
  IMO the worst among the things Microsoft is doing to Minecraft is introducing an in-game currency (to an already paid game!). They target Bedrock for this, and I strongly suspect once it starts bringing in extra money they will essentially kill further Java edition development.
  - eropple 5y ago
    IMO, the Java edition doesn't really need additional development, though. It's absolutely nice to have, but the reason (for me) to play the Java version is the community.
    - bombcar 5y ago
      Correct - many modpacks are still on 1.7 or 1.12 anyway.
    - goblin89 5y ago
      The problem in this scenario will be feature disparity. If they want, they can add cool stuff to Bedrock, and make vanilla Java version feel old and obsolete just the way 1.12 (which probably has the most mods) looks now when compared with fresh 1.18. Then, by making Bedrock available to people who paid for Java, they would give a hassle-free way for players and modders to try it, and many will probably stick to the latest version. I do hope, if this scenario comes about, the community will keep the Java version alive by maintaining feature parity, but there’re fundamental issues where some features might not be easily backported on Java due to performance limitations, plus community fragmentation as different modders try to backport same new features in different mutually incompatible ways.
      - xboxnolifes 5y ago
        > Then, by making Bedrock available to people who paid for Java, they would give a hassle-free way for players and modders to try it It would be hassle free for vanilla players, but certainly not for modders. There are years of community support built around the Java version that would need to be moved to bedrock to make moving the modding scene hassle free.
- CrazyStat 5y ago
  Java and Bedrock were already incompatible before Microsoft for involved, that wasn't their doing. Realms are obviously different because the two versions are incompatible.
- wolrah 5y ago
  > Eh, aside from making java and bedrock incompatible The "Minecraft Pocket Edition" (MCPE) code that became Bedrock predates Microsoft's involvement by over three years. Bedrock is actually Microsoft's effort to unify versions, eliminating the separate legacy console editions and providing cross-play with PC, mobile, and other console users. Java remains separate because the consoles will never run Java and the modding community that exists around the Java version just can't be replicated on the Bedrock codebase. If it weren't for mods I guarantee Java edition would be dead.
  - xcjs 5y ago
    Not to mention, there's no official way to self-host Minecraft servers for Bedrock. I think that's another factor to consider when it comes to the Java edition's survival.
    - ZoomerCretin 5y ago
      There are a number of custom Bedrock-edition Minecraft servers, as well as an official release from Mojang/Microsoft.
      - xcjs 5y ago
        You're right, there is an official release now! This might change a few things about my opinion.
- aceazzameen 5y ago
  Yeah, I'm a parent that was new to Minecraft during lockdown. It didn't take me long to figure out Bedrock and Java are incompatible, but I did have to explain it to other parents with kids that wanted to play with my kids (my kids play on Bedrock to be most compatible). My biggest issue is the amount of friction when creating a new Microsoft account for a child. I have to walk through other parents in creating a MS account for themselves (if they don't have one), then how to make a child account with a username, then finding and ticking a bunch of checkboxes to allow online play, then launching Minecraft and signing in with the new child account. It's way too many steps with email verifications. It's >30 minutes. In just my circle there's several parents who gave up and sadly their kid can't play with their group of friends. People outside of tech don't have patience for that crap. This is all outside the fact that each console has their own form of friction in allowing kids to play online. C'mon Microsoft, you can improve the new user process. Just make an optional in-game wizard asking parents a bunch of questions so kids can play ASAP. And if the issue is that it wouldn't fit in with the one-size-fits-all MS accounts used for everything else, then flag the "wizard-built" accounts as incomplete so parents can go through making a 360 account another day. Damn metrics.
  - elzbardico 5y ago
    Frankly, this is the kind of friction that I would like to see more in all things involving minors in the internet. If people can’t be bothered to jump through the hopes required to create a somewhat safe online identity for their kids, one that they should be supervising, maybe it is best their kids stay offline for their own safety, because their parents can’t be bothered to make sure they are safe.
- mimimi31 5y ago
  Also mass locking Microsoft accounts that were created without providing a phone number[1]. For some reason they locked my completely unused Microsoft account, that was created for the sole purpose of migrating my Minecraft account to, due to "unusual behavior" (or "activity that violates our Microsoft Services Agreement" if you go by the error message instead of the corresponding knowledge base article). The reasonable thing to do in such a case if of course to require users to "[verify] [they] are the account owner" by receiving an SMS verification code on an arbitrary phone number (they explicitly mention the possibility of "asking a trusted friend or family member" for this). [1] https://github.com/MultiMC/Launcher/issues/4093 https://github.com/MultiMC/Launcher/issues/4093
- CursedUrn 5y ago
  Also they added microtransactions on many platforms. I did expect them to ruin it more by now though.
DonHopkins 5y ago
One way Microsoft improved the product was to remove all mentions of Markus "It's OK To Be White" Persson's name from the game. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markus_Persson#Controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markus_Persson#Controversy >Controversy >Persson has received criticism for political and social opinions he has expressed on Twitter, such as referring to feminism as a "social disease" and claiming that most feminists are "overtly sexist against men."[50][51] In June 2017, Persson faced criticism for referring to video game developer Zoë Quinn as a "cunt".[50] Later in June 2017, he tweeted in support of a heterosexual pride day, calling opponents to the idea "cunts" and stating that they "deserve to be shot".[51] After facing backlash, he deleted the tweets and rescinded his statements, writing "So yeah, it's about pride of daring to express, not about pride of being who you are. I get it now."[52] In November 2017, Persson was criticized for posting a tweet which reads "It's ok to be white."[53] In follow-up tweets, he said he believed privilege is a "made up metric".[54] >A March 2019 Minecraft update removed all mentions of Persson from the game's menu, though his name is still in the credits.[55] Microsoft did not explain this action, but its timing led multiple news outlets to conclude it was related to the controversies associated with him.[55][56] Persson was not invited to the game's tenth anniversary event later that year, with Microsoft saying that his views "do not reflect those of Microsoft or Mojang".[8][57] Microsoft then dissociated from Persson due to his controversial comments on his Twitter account.[8] "It's okay to be white": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_okay_to_be_white https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_okay_to_be_white Minecraft Creator Tells Women on Twitter ‘Act Like a Cunt, Get Called a Cunt’: https://observer.com/2017/06/minecraft-gamergate-markus-persson-notch-zoe-quinn/ https://observer.com/2017/06/minecraft-gamergate-markus-pers... Minecraft’s Creator Excluded From the Game’s 10th Anniversary Due to Racist, Sexist, Transphobic Comments https://www.themarysue.com/notch-minecraft-bad-comments-and-opinions/ https://www.themarysue.com/notch-minecraft-bad-comments-and-... Minecraft Creator Sparks Cries of Homophobia https://fortune.com/2017/07/02/minecraft-markus-persson-homophobia/ https://fortune.com/2017/07/02/minecraft-markus-persson-homo... ‘Minecraft’ Creator Excluded From Anniversary Due to ‘Comments and Opinions’ (EXCLUSIVE) https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/minecraft-creator-excluded-from-anniversary-due-to-comments-and-opinions-exclusive-1203200050/ https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/minecraft-creator-exclu... The Creator of Minecraft Tweeted Some Dumb Stuff About Race https://www.gq.com/story/notch-whiteness-tweets https://www.gq.com/story/notch-whiteness-tweets Microsoft removes references to game creator Notch in latest Minecraft update https://www.techspot.com/news/79403-microsoft-removes-references-game-creator-notch-latest-minecraft.html https://www.techspot.com/news/79403-microsoft-removes-refere... Some References to ‘Minecraft’ Creator Notch Removed From Game https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/notch-removed-minecraft-1203174964/ https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/notch-removed-minecraft... Minecraft creator Notch won't be included in the game's 10 year anniversary event https://www.vg247.com/minecraft-creator-notch-absent-from-anniversary-due-to-opinions-and-comments https://www.vg247.com/minecraft-creator-notch-absent-from-an...
null4bl3 5y ago
They soon plan to only allow logging in with Microsoft accounts no?

rightbyte 5y ago

Ye well MS can't wish the old offline installers out of existence I guess.

Wowfunhappy 5y ago
...is there an offline installer for Java Minecraft? I think it always downloads most of the real game at first run.

fnord123 5y ago

Eh, aside from making java and bedrock incompatible, requiring Xbox live accounts to play, deleting customer accounts in the transition to Xbox live, making realms which are different somehow from java and bedrock (many parents had a devil if a time figuring out how to setup a server for kids playing on all the platforms during lockdown)... Aside from this they didn't ruin it.

goblin89 5y ago
IMO the worst among the things Microsoft is doing to Minecraft is introducing an in-game currency (to an already paid game!). They target Bedrock for this, and I strongly suspect once it starts bringing in extra money they will essentially kill further Java edition development.
- eropple 5y ago
  IMO, the Java edition doesn't really need additional development, though. It's absolutely nice to have, but the reason (for me) to play the Java version is the community.
  - bombcar 5y ago
    Correct - many modpacks are still on 1.7 or 1.12 anyway.
  - goblin89 5y ago
    The problem in this scenario will be feature disparity. If they want, they can add cool stuff to Bedrock, and make vanilla Java version feel old and obsolete just the way 1.12 (which probably has the most mods) looks now when compared with fresh 1.18. Then, by making Bedrock available to people who paid for Java, they would give a hassle-free way for players and modders to try it, and many will probably stick to the latest version. I do hope, if this scenario comes about, the community will keep the Java version alive by maintaining feature parity, but there’re fundamental issues where some features might not be easily backported on Java due to performance limitations, plus community fragmentation as different modders try to backport same new features in different mutually incompatible ways.
    - xboxnolifes 5y ago
      > Then, by making Bedrock available to people who paid for Java, they would give a hassle-free way for players and modders to try it It would be hassle free for vanilla players, but certainly not for modders. There are years of community support built around the Java version that would need to be moved to bedrock to make moving the modding scene hassle free.
CrazyStat 5y ago
Java and Bedrock were already incompatible before Microsoft for involved, that wasn't their doing. Realms are obviously different because the two versions are incompatible.
wolrah 5y ago
> Eh, aside from making java and bedrock incompatible The "Minecraft Pocket Edition" (MCPE) code that became Bedrock predates Microsoft's involvement by over three years. Bedrock is actually Microsoft's effort to unify versions, eliminating the separate legacy console editions and providing cross-play with PC, mobile, and other console users. Java remains separate because the consoles will never run Java and the modding community that exists around the Java version just can't be replicated on the Bedrock codebase. If it weren't for mods I guarantee Java edition would be dead.
- xcjs 5y ago
  Not to mention, there's no official way to self-host Minecraft servers for Bedrock. I think that's another factor to consider when it comes to the Java edition's survival.
  - ZoomerCretin 5y ago
    There are a number of custom Bedrock-edition Minecraft servers, as well as an official release from Mojang/Microsoft.
    - xcjs 5y ago
      You're right, there is an official release now! This might change a few things about my opinion.
aceazzameen 5y ago
Yeah, I'm a parent that was new to Minecraft during lockdown. It didn't take me long to figure out Bedrock and Java are incompatible, but I did have to explain it to other parents with kids that wanted to play with my kids (my kids play on Bedrock to be most compatible). My biggest issue is the amount of friction when creating a new Microsoft account for a child. I have to walk through other parents in creating a MS account for themselves (if they don't have one), then how to make a child account with a username, then finding and ticking a bunch of checkboxes to allow online play, then launching Minecraft and signing in with the new child account. It's way too many steps with email verifications. It's >30 minutes. In just my circle there's several parents who gave up and sadly their kid can't play with their group of friends. People outside of tech don't have patience for that crap. This is all outside the fact that each console has their own form of friction in allowing kids to play online. C'mon Microsoft, you can improve the new user process. Just make an optional in-game wizard asking parents a bunch of questions so kids can play ASAP. And if the issue is that it wouldn't fit in with the one-size-fits-all MS accounts used for everything else, then flag the "wizard-built" accounts as incomplete so parents can go through making a 360 account another day. Damn metrics.
- elzbardico 5y ago
  Frankly, this is the kind of friction that I would like to see more in all things involving minors in the internet. If people can’t be bothered to jump through the hopes required to create a somewhat safe online identity for their kids, one that they should be supervising, maybe it is best their kids stay offline for their own safety, because their parents can’t be bothered to make sure they are safe.
mimimi31 5y ago
Also mass locking Microsoft accounts that were created without providing a phone number[1]. For some reason they locked my completely unused Microsoft account, that was created for the sole purpose of migrating my Minecraft account to, due to "unusual behavior" (or "activity that violates our Microsoft Services Agreement" if you go by the error message instead of the corresponding knowledge base article). The reasonable thing to do in such a case if of course to require users to "[verify] [they] are the account owner" by receiving an SMS verification code on an arbitrary phone number (they explicitly mention the possibility of "asking a trusted friend or family member" for this). [1] https://github.com/MultiMC/Launcher/issues/4093 https://github.com/MultiMC/Launcher/issues/4093
CursedUrn 5y ago
Also they added microtransactions on many platforms. I did expect them to ruin it more by now though.

DonHopkins 5y ago

One way Microsoft improved the product was to remove all mentions of Markus "It's OK To Be White" Persson's name from the game. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markus_Persson#Controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markus_Persson#Controversy >Controversy >Persson has received criticism for political and social opinions he has expressed on Twitter, such as referring to feminism as a "social disease" and claiming that most feminists are "overtly sexist against men."[50][51] In June 2017, Persson faced criticism for referring to video game developer Zoë Quinn as a "cunt".[50] Later in June 2017, he tweeted in support of a heterosexual pride day, calling opponents to the idea "cunts" and stating that they "deserve to be shot".[51] After facing backlash, he deleted the tweets and rescinded his statements, writing "So yeah, it's about pride of daring to express, not about pride of being who you are. I get it now."[52] In November 2017, Persson was criticized for posting a tweet which reads "It's ok to be white."[53] In follow-up tweets, he said he believed privilege is a "made up metric".[54] >A March 2019 Minecraft update removed all mentions of Persson from the game's menu, though his name is still in the credits.[55] Microsoft did not explain this action, but its timing led multiple news outlets to conclude it was related to the controversies associated with him.[55][56] Persson was not invited to the game's tenth anniversary event later that year, with Microsoft saying that his views "do not reflect those of Microsoft or Mojang".[8][57] Microsoft then dissociated from Persson due to his controversial comments on his Twitter account.[8] "It's okay to be white": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_okay_to_be_white https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_okay_to_be_white Minecraft Creator Tells Women on Twitter ‘Act Like a Cunt, Get Called a Cunt’: https://observer.com/2017/06/minecraft-gamergate-markus-persson-notch-zoe-quinn/ https://observer.com/2017/06/minecraft-gamergate-markus-pers... Minecraft’s Creator Excluded From the Game’s 10th Anniversary Due to Racist, Sexist, Transphobic Comments https://www.themarysue.com/notch-minecraft-bad-comments-and-opinions/ https://www.themarysue.com/notch-minecraft-bad-comments-and-... Minecraft Creator Sparks Cries of Homophobia https://fortune.com/2017/07/02/minecraft-markus-persson-homophobia/ https://fortune.com/2017/07/02/minecraft-markus-persson-homo... ‘Minecraft’ Creator Excluded From Anniversary Due to ‘Comments and Opinions’ (EXCLUSIVE) https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/minecraft-creator-excluded-from-anniversary-due-to-comments-and-opinions-exclusive-1203200050/ https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/minecraft-creator-exclu... The Creator of Minecraft Tweeted Some Dumb Stuff About Race https://www.gq.com/story/notch-whiteness-tweets https://www.gq.com/story/notch-whiteness-tweets Microsoft removes references to game creator Notch in latest Minecraft update https://www.techspot.com/news/79403-microsoft-removes-references-game-creator-notch-latest-minecraft.html https://www.techspot.com/news/79403-microsoft-removes-refere... Some References to ‘Minecraft’ Creator Notch Removed From Game https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/notch-removed-minecraft-1203174964/ https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/notch-removed-minecraft... Minecraft creator Notch won't be included in the game's 10 year anniversary event https://www.vg247.com/minecraft-creator-notch-absent-from-anniversary-due-to-opinions-and-comments https://www.vg247.com/minecraft-creator-notch-absent-from-an...

null4bl3 5y ago

They soon plan to only allow logging in with Microsoft accounts no?