Minecraft is Losing One of Its Features in 2025

Minecraft will officially end support for virtual reality (VR) headsets after March 2025. Despite Minecraft’s huge popularity, it does not seem that VR is big enough in the game’s community, so Mojang Studios decided to stop VR support for both the PC and PlayStation versions of the game next year.

Minecraft was originally released in beta phase in 2009, quickly becoming a huge global hit. Due to its success, Minecraft has had VR support since 2016, when it started to support Oculus VR. After a while, the popular sandbox game also gained VR support on PlayStation, but this recent news indicates a shift in Mojang’s strategy towards this technology.

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As part of the changelog of Minecraft’s 1.21.40 Bedrock update, Mojang announced that the game will no longer support devices such as Oculus Rift, Meta Quest, or Windows Mixed Reality headsets. The change will take place after March 2025, giving gamers a small window of a few months before it is finalized. After March, only gamers who play the Java version of Minecraft with mods such as Vivecraft will be able to continue playing the game with VR headsets.

Minecraft Will Stop Supporting VR in 2025

This news comes on the heels of an earlier announcement when Mojang confirmed that Minecraft would no longer be supported in PlayStation VR after March 2025. During the announcement, it was also clarified that gamers who played using the peripheral on PS4 and PS5 would still be able to access their previously created worlds, as well as items they had purchased in the marketplace. At the time, fans hoped that the end of support for the platform meant that the PSVR2 could receive official Minecraft support, but this does not seem very likely in light of these recent announcements.

Unfortunately, VR games are not doing very well these days, which could be part of the reason why support is being dropped for the technology in Minecraft. Earlier this year, for example, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR failed to generate significant revenue for Ubisoft, disappointing the company’s CEO Yes Guillemot. Sony’s PSVR2 also failed to meet sales expectations, with purchases of the device only surging again after a hefty price cut of $200.

On the bright side, there are several excellent sandbox VR games currently available for gamers who want to continue using their headsets. Titles such as The Forest, Garry’s Mod, and No Man’s Sky all currently have VR support, and could be worth checking out for Minecraft fans.

Minecraft is a game made up of blocks, creatures, and community. You can survive the night or build a work of art – the choice is all yours. But if the thought of exploring a vast new world all on your own feels overwhelming, then fear not!

Minecraft has no set goal and can be played however you’d like! This is why it’s sometimes called a “sandbox game” – there are lots of things for you to do, and lots of ways that you can play. If you like being creative, then you can use the blocks to build things from your imagination. If you’re feeling brave, you can explore the world and face daring challenges. Blocks can be broken, crafted, placed to reshape the landscape, or used to build fantastical creations. 

Creatures can be battled or befriended, depending on how you play. The world of Minecraft allows for epic adventures, quiet meditations, and everything in between. You can even share your creations with other players, or play in community worlds!

Platform(s)

3DS , Android , iOS , Nintendo Switch , Nintendo Wii U , PC , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PS Vita , Xbox One , Xbox 360

Released

November 18, 2011

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op , Online Multiplayer

Engine

LWJGL, PROPRIETARY ENGINE

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence

How Long To Beat

N/A

X|S Optimized

No

File Size Xbox Series

1.42 GB (August 2024)

Split Screen Orientation

Vertical or Horizontal

Number of Players

1-4

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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