Today, Microsoft released updates for Minecraft Pocket Edition and Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta to bring support for cross platform play and a ton of new content for the Pocket Edition.
The Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta received support for up to five friends to play over Xbox Live, as well as enabling cross platform play with Minecraft: Pocket Edition on a local network. The changes for the Windows 10 Edition Beta seem to be more backend support to enable the new multiplayer features and cross platform play.
The changes for the Pocket Edition however bring a substantial amount of new content previously left out of the handheld version. Update 0.12.1 brings the mobile version closer to parity with the new Windows 10 Edition Beta; both with new content and the ability to play with up to five friends on either Windows 10 or the Pocket Edition.
The changelog lists the new features now available in the Pocket Edition which include a great deal for those familiar with the original PC version of the game. They include:
- The Nether and all its inhabitants. Fight Ghasts and make friends with Pigmen
- Cross platform play for up to five players between Pocket Edition and Windows 10
- Revamped touch controls, controller support, and a controller mapping screen
- Enhanced Weather effects! Accumulating snow and more
- Ocelots! Try taming one with a fish
- Experience, Anvils, Brewing, and enchantments. Time to up your game, crafter
- Golems. We recommend you approach with caution
- Flower pots. We recommend you fill them with flowers
- Sneaking and sprinting! Express yourself through movement!
- Loads of bug fixes that are too boring to list here
You can pick up the latest version of the Minecraft: Pocket Edition for Windows Phone in the game’s store page. The Windows 10 Edition Beta should download in the background automatically unless you have disabled automatic app updates. In which case, you can search for the update by click Downloads and updates in the Store app for Windows 10.
