This week, Mojang has made a significant decision regarding the future of Minecraft on virtual reality platforms, officially discontinuing VR support for the Bedrock version on PCs. This move marks the end of an era that began in April 2016 when the company first introduced VR capabilities for Minecraft on the Samsung Gear VR, subsequently extending the experience to PC users later that same year. The addition of PSVR support in 2020 seemed promising, but the trajectory has since taken a downturn.
The Rise and Fall of Minecraft VR
While players could previously enjoy the Gear VR version on devices like the Oculus Go and the original Oculus Quest, the Oculus Quest 2’s discontinuation of support for older games effectively rendered these experiences obsolete. As Mojang gradually withdrew its official backing for Minecraft VR, the community stepped in, with modders taking the lead where the company faltered. Among these, Vivecraft has emerged as the most successful mod, enhancing Minecraft Java with VR features that Mojang never integrated into the Bedrock version. QuestCraft, a port of Vivecraft designed for Meta Quest headsets, made its debut in February 2022 but faced challenges after the v71 Meta Quest update disrupted gameplay in December 2024.
Despite Mojang’s recent announcements, which suggest a lack of resources or funding to support VR, the reality is quite the opposite. With over 55 million daily active players, a figure rivaled only by games like Fortnite, and a workforce of more than 600 employees, Mojang’s financial health appears robust. The success of the Minecraft Movie further contributes to the substantial revenue Minecraft generates for Microsoft annually. This raises a critical question: how can such a well-resourced studio declare an end to its VR endeavors?
One plausible explanation is that the number of VR players constitutes a small fraction of the overall Minecraft player base. While this may hold some truth, it hardly justifies the lack of support for a platform as popular as Meta Quest. Notably, QuestCraft, the only native Quest port of Minecraft, is managed by just four individuals in their spare time—an effort that Mojang could easily replicate.
As the demographics of the Meta Quest user base skew younger, with free-to-play content dominating the platform, it becomes clear that this audience would likely invest considerable time in Minecraft if it were officially available as a Meta Quest title. Back in 2020, Oculus CTO John Carmack successfully demonstrated Minecraft running on the Quest with full positional tracking, a feat that Mojang has yet to capitalize on.
QuestCraft, the only native Quest port of Minecraft, is run by four individuals in their spare time. Surely Mojang could match this effort.
Adding to the complexity of this situation is the evolving relationship between Meta and Microsoft. Recent collaborations have allowed Xbox Game Pass titles to be played on Quest, and Windows 11 now features an official linking app for Quest users. Furthermore, the anticipated Xbox-branded Meta Quest headset, announced last April, hints at a strategic partnership that could have included an official Minecraft VR port. Despite claims from Meta of ongoing discussions with Microsoft regarding a potential official port as recently as August 2024, progress appears stagnant.
Everyone loses when Mojang decides that Minecraft players don’t want VR support, and it’s ridiculous that Microsoft and Mojang don’t see that.
Ultimately, Mojang’s decision to withdraw from the VR space seems to overlook a significant opportunity for revenue and player engagement. The official QuestCraft Discord server boasts 80,000 members, with new users joining daily, all for a mod that requires a developer account and sideloading onto the Quest. Imagine the potential player base for an official Bedrock version of Minecraft VR, which could easily reach hundreds of thousands or even over a million active users, mirroring the success of other popular Quest titles. This is a missed opportunity not just for Mojang, but for the entire Minecraft community.
