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Minecraft - Pocket Edition to get 'exclusive' features in the future

But it won't 'copy the PC version'

Minecraft - Pocket Edition to get 'exclusive' features in the future
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| Minecraft

In an online talk hosted by Sony Ericsson, Mojang's business developer Daniel Kaplan outlined plans for Minecraft - Pocket Edition's future.

Despite recently receiving an update that added a version of Survival mode that originally featured on the PC version, Kaplan told the assembled journalists that Minecraft - Pocket Edition will not evolve in the same fashion as its bigger brother.

"The mission is not to copy the PC version exactly, but we are looking [to see] what stuff works great there, and what makes sense for the touch platform."

Different worlds

Kaplan's reason for the split development paths of the two titles comes down to the way people play the different formats, with PC and console players having more "dedicated time to play" in comparison to their mobile brethren.

"A mobile gamer is a bit more complicated since you don't know what they are doing, where they are... my opinion is that it is harder to get a mobile player's attention with a game, since I think they will much more [readily] throw away your game if you don't get their attention early enough."

Pocket power

Despite the different feature set planned for Minecraft - Pocket Edition (about which Kaplan was unwilling to divulge much at all), the dev does plan on migrating some of the features present in the PC version across to the mobile one, such as crafting for Survival mode, music, and new blocks / mobs. The controls on touchscreens are also being mulled over.

The most interesting nugget of news to come out of Kaplan's talk, though, is that Minecraft - Pocket Edition (which is being developed by just one man: Aron Nieminen) will be getting "exclusive" features unique to the mobile version, although what form these would take are still firmly under wraps.

We'll no doubt discover more details on these new features soon, but, for now, have a look at our top ten features we'd like to see in Minecraft - Pocket Edition list and let out a wistful sigh of longing.

Will Wilson
Will Wilson
Will's obsession with gaming started off with sketching Laser Squad levels on pads of paper, but recently grew into violently shouting "Tango Down!" at random strangers on the street. He now directs that positive energy into his writing (due in no small part to a binding court order).