Minecraft is now available in its native version for PS5, free on PS4

Minecraft, the hugely popular 3D blocky world exploration game owned by Microsoft, is now available on almost every major gaming hardware platform — except the PlayStation 5. PS5 gamers have so far had to share the same version of Minecraft with their PS4 consoles through backward compatibility.

However, back in June, developer Mojang (owned by Microsoft) confirmed that it was developing a version of the popular sandbox game Minecraft that would run natively on Sony’s PlayStation 5 console. This week, Mojang confirmed that Minecraft for PS5 is now officially available for purchase and download from the PlayStation Store. Ahead of its full release, the developer has been testing and gathering feedback from users through a special “preview” release. The results have been very positive.

Mojang says the original PS5 version of Minecraft will allow gamers to experience much better rendering quality in the game, while also supporting both 4K resolution and 60fps. Of course, the PS5 version of Minecraft will also support cross-play with other Minecraft ports.

Additionally, for those who haven't purchased the PS4: Bedrock Edition of Minecraft, the PS5 version will cost $19.99. However, if you've already purchased the PS4 version of the game, the PS5 port will be free - just log in to the PlayStation Store to download it. If you own the PS4 physical version of Minecraft, you'll need to insert the disc into your PS5 to get your free digital copy.

In related news, Mojang recently announced that support for playing Minecraft via the PlayStation VR headset will end in March 2025. Along with the release of the Minecraft PS5 version, Mojang also rolled out a new free content update this week called Bundles of Bravery, which comes with packs, which are essentially in-game bags that allow users to have a portable inventory of items.

Additionally, the update also adds Hardcore mode for those playing the Bedrock variant of Minecraft, which now includes the PS5 version. This means that not only is the survival difficulty very high, but any characters and worlds you create can die permanently. The update also adds Hardcore zones that allow up to 10 players to play the game in such Hardcore mode.

Although it has been released for a long time and has simple graphics, Minecraft is still one of the attractive games for families and children because the game is available on all systems and has simple gameplay that encourages gamers to unleash their creativity.

Developer Mojang hopes: "By developing the native version of Minecraft for PS5, we will be able to make the game run more efficiently on PlayStation consoles."