After months of waiting, Minecraft is now available on the Oculus Rift, via a free update to the game’s Windows 10 beta edition. You could already play Minecraft on the Rift via a mod called Minecrift, but this is the first official version of the game for desktop virtual reality — a Gear VR version was released in April. (Vive users can still use a mod called Vivecraft, which also supports the Rift.)
Minecraft for Oculus Rift is out today
is a senior tech and policy editor focused on online platforms and free expression. Adi has covered virtual and augmented reality, the history of computing, and more for The Verge since 2011.
The Minecraft team says that Windows 10 users will see some features that aren’t in the Gear VR version. That includes support for a mouse and keyboard, as well as graphics settings that take advantage of VR-capable computers’ power. Since the game can be played both inside and outside a headset, it will preserve some settings for each mode separately, so players can tweak in-VR movement or graphics without affecting their flatscreen game experience later.
Of course, one of the biggest differences between the Rift and the Gear VR is the Rift’s Touch motion controllers, which are set to come out later this year. Microsoft doesn’t mention whether Minecraft will eventually support motion controls, but an image of Touch on the Minecraft VR page appears to have been removed since we last checked in July — so for now, enjoy your controller or keyboard.
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