In a recent announcement on June 7, 2023, Google has brought thrilling news for Chromebook users and gaming enthusiasts alike. According to an official blog post from Google, Minecraft: Bedrock Edition is now downloadable through the Google Play Store on Chromebooks, allowing for native gameplay. Furthermore, the Minecraft Marketplace and the ability to play in Realms are also included in this release. What’s even better is that this availability extends to all Chromebooks released within the past three years, bringing joy to owners of older models as well.
Additionally, the crossplay functionality enables players to enjoy Minecraft with others across different platforms, including Android, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PCs. Users can engage in various online modes such as Creative mode and Survival mode through crossplay, along with accessing the new Trails & Tales update and all its content.
In our quest for more information, we reached out to Google for an official statement regarding the potential availability of other games natively on Chrome OS. We will update this story as soon as we receive an official response.
While Chromebooks have been capable of gaming through streaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now for quite some time, the concept of Chromebooks specifically designed for gaming, such as the Acer Chromebook 516 GE, has sparked some debate. Some critics consider these gaming-focused Chromebooks a “scam,” while others believe they could be a promising innovation in the gaming industry. The initial disagreement stemmed from the notion that any Chromebook could be deemed a “gaming Chromebook” since gaming on Chromebooks relied on streaming services rather than native play.
However, the recent news of Minecraft being natively available on recent Chromebooks, along with reports of Google’s internal prototype codenamed ‘Hades,’ featuring the more affordable RTX 4050 and a 13th-generation Intel CPU with DDR5 memory, have added fuel to the discussion. With these developments, Google is proudly showcasing the gaming capabilities of its Chromebook, demonstrating that this machine is more than capable of running some of the best PC games available.
What makes this prospect even more enticing is that Chromebooks, even the high-end models, are reasonably priced compared to Ultrabooks and dedicated gaming machines. By investing in gaming Chromebooks, Google could potentially offer a product that combines the best features of a gaming laptop without the exorbitant price tag typically associated with such devices. As a fellow consumer, this idea is undeniably exciting.
The availability of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition natively on Chromebooks is a significant step forward for Chromebook gaming, broadening the possibilities and demonstrating Google’s commitment to enhancing the gaming experience on their platform. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Google expands its offerings and whether other popular titles will find their way onto Chrome OS.
