Did Minecraft Pocket Edition Get Deleted?
No, Minecraft Pocket Edition was not deleted. It was discontinued by Mojang in 2016 and rebranded as Minecraft Bedrock Edition.
History of Minecraft Pocket Edition
Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE) first launched in August 2011 as an official Mojang port of Minecraft for mobile devices. Initially exclusive to Xperia Play on Android, it later expanded to all Android and iOS devices.
Over the next 5 years, Pocket Edition received gradual updates that added core Minecraft features like redstone, biomes, the Nether, villagers, and more. By December 2016, Pocket Edition had reached version 1.0, indicating a complete Minecraft experience on par with the Java desktop game.
Here‘s a quick history of some major Pocket Edition updates:
| Version | Release Date | Key Additions |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha 0.1.0 | August 16, 2011 | Initial release on Xperia Play |
| Alpha 0.2.0 | October 8, 2011 | Survival mode, crafting, zombies |
| Alpha 0.3.0 | October 24, 2011 | Creepers, sneaking, crafting recipes |
| Alpha 0.7.0 | July 11, 2012 | Creative mode, fishing, enchanting |
| 0.9.0 | July 3, 2013 | Biomes, world generation |
| 0.12.1 | October 13, 2014 | Redstone circuits |
| 0.14.0 | December 18, 2015 | The Nether dimension |
| 1.0.0 | December 19, 2016 | The End dimension, complete Minecraft experience |
At its peak popularity before transitioning to Bedrock, Pocket Edition had amassed over 40 million active players worldwide. It generated an estimated $100 million in revenue for Mojang as of mid 2016 according to analyst estimates.
Why Transition from Pocket Edition to Bedrock?
With the console and Windows 10 versions of Minecraft catching up to the feature set of Pocket Edition, Mojang made the decision to unify all these editions under one codebase for consistency.
Some key technical advantages of Bedrock Edition over Pocket Edition include:
- Larger render distance for increased viewable area
- Faster loading times and chunk generation
- Cross-platform multiplayer between mobile, PC, and consoles
- Support for upcoming platforms like Xbox Series X|S and PS5
In announcing the shift from Pocket Edition to Bedrock, Mojang specifically highlighted cross-platform play as a major goal. This allowed friends to play together regardless of device.
As a passionate gamer myself, I think uniting many versions under Bedrock was smart for growing the Minecraft community. It opened new multiplayer possibilities that were limited before.
What Happened to Old Pocket Edition App and Worlds?
With the launch of Bedrock Edition in late 2017, Mojang stopped active development on Pocket Edition. The old Pocket Edition app was eventually removed from the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
However, existing players who already had Pocket Edition installed could continue accessing the outdated app. Servers were kept online for legacy support until retiring in December 2019.
Most importantly, Mojang ensured worlds and purchases from Pocket Edition transferred over to Bedrock. Player data was preserved through the transition by linking to Xbox Live accounts.
So fans of Pocket Edition lost nothing by upgrading to the new Bedrock app. You still have all the same world data and customizations.
Key Takeaways
Let‘s recap the major points:
Minecraft Pocket Edition was officially discontinued in late 2016, reaching the completion of its vision.
It was succeeded by Minecraft Bedrock Edition, which unified mobile, PC, and console platforms.
Cross-platform multiplayer was a driving factor behind creating Bedrock.
For technical reasons like render distances and loading times, Bedrock was an improvement.
Pocket Edition player data seamlessly carried over into Bedrock thanks to Xbox account linking.
In summary, while Pocket Edition is no longer updated, it effectively lives on through Bedrock Edition – expanded and enhanced for a true cross-device Minecraft experience. A beloved mobile game took the next step to bring everyone into the same Minecraft world.
As a devoted Minecraft player myself, I‘m thrilled to see Mojang taking these ambitious steps to unite the community. The evolution from Pocket to Bedrock pushes the franchise into the future while respecting its mobile gaming roots. This transition exemplifies why Minecraft continues to be so relevant even a decade after its first release.
