You can play Minecraft just about anywhere–PC, consoles, and mobile devices all run Mojang’s seemingly immortal game. But the truth is that despite being on a dozen platforms, there are really just two versions: Bedrock and Java. If you’re looking to get into Minecraft, you’ll see people talking about these two versions, but what is the difference–and which one is best?

Java vs. Bedrock: Why are there two versions?

When Minecraft just started to become popular in the early 2010s, there was just one platform and one version. Minecraft was built in Java and played on Windows and Linux. Bedrock, meanwhile, began its life as Minecraft Pocket Edition, a version meant to run well on mobile devices, but would eventually form the base for Bedrock Edition.

Bedrock Edition exists for a few reasons. One is that Java has tons of security vulnerabilities; a major vulnerability affected Minecraft’s Java edition as recently as December 2021, in which the Log4j vulnerability allowed users to execute code on a Minecraft server just by entering text into the game’s chatbox. If you’re putting your game onto every console in existence, you probably don’t want to accidentally make them all hackable–as much as console modders would love that.

Java is also not terribly well optimized for 3D games like Minecraft, and wouldn’t have run well on the first round of consoles it released on, which includes the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Bedrock is a complete rebuild of Minecraft that both takes care of that security issue and lets Microsoft better optimize the game for modern game console hardware.

Java vs. Bedrock: What’s the difference?

There are a number of differences between Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft, including little mechanical differences–Minecraft on Java has more combat moves, and some mobs and items have different variables–though Microsoft has made an effort in recent years to ensure that Minecraft’s Bedrock and Java Editions are getting closer and closer together, rather than further apart.

Which version you want will depend a little bit on your needs.

If you’re playing on a console or mobile device–an Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, or Android/iOS device, you’ll be playing Bedrock. If you’re one of the few and proud that plays on a Linux device, you’re going to be playing Java. So we’ll assume those players already know what they want and focus on the rest of us playing on Windows 10 and 11 PCs.

If you want to play with friends on other platforms, go with Bedrock and Realms.

So, all of your friends play Minecraft, but some of them play on PC, others play on Xbox, and some are even playing on their mobile devices. There are a couple of options for cross-play. With Minecraft Bedrock, you can hook up with them whenever you like for a single-session multiplayer game–you can join your friend’s game, but only while they’re also playing–stored on the host user’s device. If you use an official Minecraft Realm, though, you can have an always-online, always-accessible server provided by Microsoft for a small monthly fee. Anyone on Bedrock Edition that you invite–that includes players on Xbox One, Series S, and Series X, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Android, iOS, and Windows 10 and 11–can join a Realm and get building whenever they want.

As a side note, if you’re planning to build your own server or pay another provider with more flexible server options, you’ll need to stick with PC or take your chances with dicey hacks to get other versions working with servers, as only Windows devices support connecting to custom servers in Bedrock Edition.

If you want to go super deep with modding, play Java Edition.

You’re not one to just leave a game the way it was installed. You want to make it your own. That doesn’t mean just skins and texture packs, but total overhaul mods that introduce new game mechanics, shader packs, and more. If that sounds like you, you’ll want to play Java Edition.

If you have an older computer, play Bedrock Edition.

The older your computer is, the more leeway you’ll need to give it with games. Minecraft is anything but new, but Bedrock tends to run better on older systems due to Java’s generally poor optimization. Of course, Java will most likely run fine–but Bedrock Edition will give you a little more elbow room. Generally speaking, if you want the most stable performance, the general consensus in the Minecraft community seems to be that Bedrock offers a smoother, more stable experience over Java–regardless of whether your PC qualifies as a potato or cutting-edge technology.

If you want officially supported ray tracing, play Bedrock Edition.

If you want the most advanced graphical effects and prefer they be of the officially supported variety, Minecraft Bedrock Edition offers full integration with Nvidia’s ray tracing and upscaling features. Ray tracing allows you to enjoy all kinds of light effects that completely change the way the game looks, while Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling helps keep the game running smoothly by playing at a lower resolution and then using AI/deep learning to make the game look like it’s running at that native resolution. Minecraft Java Edition does offer shader packs and other mods that can change the way the game looks, but Bedrock is where the official support lies. At this time, you must be running an Nvidia RTX card of some kind–the newer the better.

If you want to see experimental versions first, play Java Edition.

While Bedrock Edition is the lead platform for Microsoft and Mojang, Java Edition is still under active development, and due most likely to it having a smaller player base (remember, PC only) that’s generally more tolerant of changes, Java will often get upcoming and experimental features first. If you want to see all that new stuff before it makes it to the official Bedrock branch of development, check out Java edition. Come from Sports betting site VPbet

In a recent series of escalating verbal shots being fired, director Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Chappie) has called director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2048, Dune: Part One) a “f***ing a**hole” for the latter’s apparent harsh criticism over the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Villeneuve, whose long-delayed sweeping sci-fi epic Dune: Part One will finally hit theaters on October 22, recently spoke for an interview with the Spanish publication El Mundo. When asked why big-budget movies are still relevant, the director apparently–according to translated text reported by other publications–said, “The problem is that we are in front of too many Marvel movies that are nothing more than a ‘cut and paste’ of others… Perhaps these types of movies have turned us into zombies a bit… But big and expensive movies of great value there are many today. I don’t feel capable of being pessimistic at all.” Come from Sports betting site VPbet

You’ll need to find a Fortnite Nitro Drifter as part of the Week 1 challenges to earn a cool 12,000 XP, but given that Chapter 4 Season 2 is still in its early days, some players may be confused about what this item even is. Here’s a quick guide to help you identify and locate the Nitro Drifter, then all you’ll need to do with it is destroy objects while drifting or boosting with it.

Fortnite Nitro DrifterCome from Sports betting site VPbet

Like you’ll see in the trailer below, the Fortnite Nitro Drifter is the new neon-lit street racing car you can find in certain areas of the island by default this season.

Sony has released PlayStation’s ultimate list of popular, gaming-related terms, and while that might conjure up images of someone twice your age explaining what “pwning some noobs” means, it turns out it’s actually incredible useful.

Published as a part of Sony’s “This Month On PlayStation” blog, the list contains well over 100 words and phrases that are all regularly used in gaming spaces. While it does contain more than a few dated phrases (see: “git gud” and “noob-tube”), the list delves into plenty of useful terms as well.

For example, the list might be helpful to those trying to understand certain game design elements or genres, as it explains things such as what it means for a game to be procedurally generated as well as the differences between RPGs, ARPGs, JRPGS, and CPRGs. It also covers quite a few more technical and hardware-driven terms, including haptic feedback, ray-tracing, resolution, frame rate, and moreCome from Sports betting site VPbet. For those new to certain genres or online gaming, it also explains concepts like “farming,” “min-maxing,” “camping,” and “juggling.” Not sure what it means when your teammates tell you to “pull aggro” or ask you about your loadout? Sony’s dictionary covers that too.

In addition, Sony also has added a few in-game examples to better explain certain terms. For example, the company included a short paragraph on how area-of-effect attacks are used in Elden Ring, writing, “Area-of-effect attacks are frequently used in Elden Ring’s boss design, with terrifying enemies like Godrick the Grafted filling areas of the arena with beds of fire or battering whirlwinds.” The blog also makes mention of Destiny 2’s routinely celebrated endgame content, Final Fantasy’s signature hit-points system, No Man’s Sky’s procedurally generated world, and much more.

In addition to the gaming dictionary, PlayStation also published articles on the making of Returnal’s Selene Vassos and the best strategy games on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The making of Selene article comes shortly after developer Housemarque implemented campaign co-op into Returnal. For GameSpot’s take on what PlayStation games you gotta play, check out our lists covering the best titles on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

Diablo 4 Season 1 has arrived, bringing the first big content update to the dungeon crawler. Season 1 features new quests, seasonal objectives, and Malignant Hearts, a new item that is socketed like gems but provides more unique and powerful bonuses. In addition to all of the new contents and items, there is also a new system for boosting your seasonal character called Smoldering Ashes. This new currency can be used to gain passive boosts for the rest of the season.Come from Sports betting site VPbet

How to obtain Smoldering Ashes

Smoldering Ashes aren’t an in-game drop, but instead tied to battle pass progression. There are 20 Smoldering Ashes spread out across the 90 battle pass tiers. All Smoldering Ashes are free-tier rewards and do not require you to purchase the battle pass. The battle pass is progressed by earning favor, which is awarded by killing monsters, completing quests, and completing objectives with a seasonal character. Favor is also awarded for completing seasonal objectives.