A recent Microsoft livestream disclosed impressive new information ahead of Minecraft’s upcoming Nintendo Switch release on May 11th.
During the stream, it was confirmed that Minecraft on the Nintendo Switch will launch with the game’s January update. Although this would place the Switch version slightly behind its console brethren, it was noted that the indie darling should catch up to everyone else rather quickly.
World size was discussed as well, which was nicely broken down by NeoGAF user bomblord1. For the sake of comparison, the PS4 and Xbox One’s “large” world weighs in at 5120 x 5120. The Nintendo Switch version is said to max out at their “medium,” which would put it at 3072 x 3072. While this is bound to disappoint some of you (because it’s the internet), it’s actually an incredible feat for a portable unit, as the PlayStation Vita’s release caps out at 864 x 864.
The Wii U version shares the Vita’s maximum world size, making the Nintendo Switch’s world nearly 13x larger than its predecessor.
Minecraft will run at 60fps on Nintendo Switch, more than doubling the PlayStation Vita’s estimated average of 20-25fps. This, along with its newly confirmed world size, will give Nintendo Switch owners access to the most robust portable version of Minecraft available.
Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition will feature online play for up to eight players while supporting local split-screen multiplayer for up to four in both TV and tabletop modes. Crafters can compete against friends in Battle and Tumble mini-games, with Glide arriving later in a post-launch update.
Minecraft and Nintendo hope to cater to your nostalgia on the Switch with six new content updates, in addition to the Super Mario Mash Up pack. This includes 40 Mario-themed player skins, environments based on Super Mario World, along with textures and music from Super Mario 64.
As the 2nd-highest selling video game of all time at 122 million units, and the Nintendo Switch doing incredibly well to boot, things should be looking pretty good for The Big N when Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition launches on May 11th for $29.99 USD.