All Minecraft Editions: Which Ones You Can Still Play
Two Minecraft editions are current, Java and Bedrock, plus Education for schools. What became of Pocket, Legacy Console, Pi, 3DS and Earth, and China's.
Today there are two main editions of Minecraft, Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, plus Minecraft Education for schools. Every other name you’ll see in old forum posts (Pocket Edition, Xbox 360 Edition, Windows 10 Edition, Pi Edition) has either been retired or merged into Bedrock.
That’s the whole answer. The rest of this page is the family tree, so you can make sense of an old video or a confusing store listing.
The editions you can still play
| Edition | Runs on | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|
| Java Edition | Windows, macOS, Linux | The original. Huge mod scene, the big community servers, every old version still playable |
| Bedrock Edition | Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Chromebook | Cross-play between all those devices, Marketplace, Realms |
| Minecraft Education | Windows, macOS, iPad, Chromebook, Android, iOS | Bedrock-based, signs in with school Microsoft 365 accounts, lessons and coding tools |
On PC you don’t have to choose: the PC purchase is the “Java & Bedrock Edition” bundle, and both install through the same launcher. Our Java vs Bedrock guide goes through the real differences (combat timing, redstone quirks, mods versus add-ons) if you’re still deciding.
The two versions are separate programs, written in different languages, which is why small mechanics differ between them. What Minecraft is coded in explains the split.
Retired and merged editions
Pocket Edition (2011-2017). The phone version started as an alpha on the Xperia Play in August 2011. In September 2017 the Better Together Update folded it into Bedrock, and “MCPE” quietly became just “Minecraft.” Most search results that still say “Pocket Edition” are about the mobile version of Bedrock. The Bedrock Edition guide is the current page for that.
Windows 10 Edition (2015-2017). Also became Bedrock. Same story, same app.
Legacy Console Editions (2012-2019). Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS Vita and Wii U each had a version built by 4J Studios with its own update schedule (“title updates”). Xbox One and Switch moved to Bedrock in 2017-2018, and PS4 followed in December 2019. The older consoles got a final update around the same time and never went further.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition (2017-2019). A small handheld port that stopped receiving updates in 2019.
Raspberry Pi Edition (2013-2016). A free, cut-down build of early Pocket Edition meant for teaching code. It’s no longer distributed.
Minecraft Earth (2019-2021). An augmented-reality phone game, not really an edition of the main game. Its servers closed on June 30, 2021. More on that in Minecraft spin-offs explained.
A special case: China
Minecraft in mainland China is published by NetEase under license, with its own launcher and store. It doesn’t connect to the global Java or Bedrock servers.
Which one is “real” Minecraft?
Both. Java is the original and still gets new features at the same time as Bedrock, through the same game drops. If you play mostly with friends on consoles and phones, pick Bedrock. If you want mods or the big Java servers, pick Java. If you’re on a PC, you get both anyway.
Common questions
How many editions of Minecraft are there today?
Three you can still buy and play with updates: Java Edition, Bedrock Edition and Minecraft Education. China has its own licensed version run by NetEase. Everything else has been retired or folded into Bedrock.
Is Pocket Edition still a thing?
Not as a separate game. Pocket Edition became part of Bedrock Edition with the Better Together Update in September 2017, and the mobile app is simply called Minecraft now.
Can Java and Bedrock players play together?
Not in vanilla. Bedrock players can play with each other across consoles, phones and Windows, and Java players play with Java players. Some community servers use a proxy to let both in, but that is unofficial.
Sources & verification
Facts on this page are checked against these references and in-game behavior for the stated edition(s). how we verify.
Keep reading