Microsoft Ends Support for Minecraft Apple TV

Despite touting cross-platform play for games like Fortnite and Rocket League, Microsoft is removing its own game, Minecraft from one platform — App​le TV. If you bought Minecraft on Apple TV, you'll be able to play it, but you won't get any new features or crossplay support. This was noticed by those who have the game on Apple TV. They were greeted with a message confirming the end of support. Minecraft for Apple TV was announced in 2016 at Apple's MacBook event.

"Effective from Monday, 24 September, the Apple TV version of Minecraft will no longer be updated or supported," the message reads. Though it has stated that it would offer refunds for purchases made in the last three months.

"We’re grateful to the Apple TV community for their support, but we need to reallocate resources to the platforms that our players use the most. Don’t worry though, you can continue to play Minecraft on Apple TV, keep building in y our world, and your Marketplace purchases — including Minecoins — will continue to be available. However, we know that this experience isn’t in-line with the experience on other platforms, so we will be issuing full refunds on all purchases made within the last 90 days."

Microsoft's statement suggests that a majority of its player base isn't on Apple TV and has therefore pulled the plug. It drives home the underlying fact that despite its position on features like cross-platform play to bolster its user base on platforms like the Xbox One, it won't shy away from dropping support from platforms that it deems unfit.

Previously, Minecraft developer Mojang announced a new “action-adventure game inspired by classic dungeon crawlers” for PC: it’s called Minecraft: Dungeons, which is playable solo or with friends cooperatively, up to four players in total. Think of it as Diablo but with Minecraft’s signature blocky characters and object models. It’s being made by a small team at Mojang’s Swedish headquarters in Stockholm and has been described as their “passion project”.

The new game is being built with Unreal Engine and will feature creations from original game in addition to new weapons and items “that will help you defeat a ruthless swarm of new-and-nasty mobs” and new bosses. The game will also have a story. Minecraft: Dungeons was announced at the annual Minecon Earth 2018 conference over the weekend, alongside an update for Minecraft coming early next year and additional add-ons.

October 11, 2018