Summary
- Minecraft will officially stop supporting VR headsets after March 2025.
- Players using the Java version with mods like Vivecraft can still play with VR.
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.
Minecraft Fan's Father Builds Incredible Castle With Less Than a Year of Experience
One gamer’s creative father showcases an impressive castle he built in the game after playing Minecraft for less than a year.
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.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
WHERE TO PLAY
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!
- Engine
- LWJGL, PROPRIETARY ENGINE
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Minecraft
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Platform(s)
- 3DS, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii U, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
- How Long To Beat
- 129 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 1.42 GB (August 2024)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
