Minecraft Reveals Why RTX On Xbox Was Removed (Even After It Worked)
A recent Minecraft preview build added a ray-tracing option on Xbox, but it seems that the block-based title will not actually bring the feature to consoles. Mojang's beloved survival sandbox has continued to improve and expand through more than a decade of updates and expansions. While Minecraft ray-tracing on Xbox was recently added in an update for Xbox Insiders, the addition was apparently an accident.
Launching as an early access title in 2009, Minecraft has always placed an emphasis on freedom and function over flashy graphics. The title's procedurally-generated worlds are made up of pixelated blocks, and character models are also appropriately cubic in nature. However, this minimalist art style allows Mojang to focus its attention on improving Minecraft gameplay features like world generation, biomes, mobs and more. The game's retro art style has arguably been a benefit, since Minecraft has successfully grown to become one of the most iconic and recognizable video games in the industry. However, Minecraft does use ray-tracing on PC, with the rendering technology greatly enhancing the lighting and reflections for computer gamers.
While an update recent granted Xbox Insiders a functional ray-tracing option in Minecraft, the game's official Twitter account explains that this was unintended. The ray-tracing option was apparently caused by prototype code which was accidentally included in the recent update. The Minecraft Twitter account confirms that the prototype code has now been removed from the survival sandbox's Preview build on Xbox, and there are apparently no plans to bring ray-tracing to consoles in the future. Despite the fact that ray-tracing worked on Xbox, PC users are once again the only ones able to enjoy enhanced graphics in Minecraft.
While Minecraft thrives on its simplistic graphics, ray-tracing is a powerful tool that improves the look of nearly any game. A Half-Life ray-tracing mod proves this utility, with the advanced rendering technique giving the beloved 1998 first-person shooter a fresh coat of paint. The simple addition of ray-tracing makes this aging title substantially more immersive by improving the realism of lighting, reflections and visual effects throughout its environment. Ray-tracing makes Half-Life's Black Mesa facility substantially more atmospheric, and the option could also make Minecraft's vast worlds even more breathtaking on consoles.
Xbox Insiders, and those who play Minecraft on console, were no doubt ecstatic to see a ray-tracing option added to Mojang's beloved title. Unfortunately, the feature's inclusion was accidental and there are no plans to truly bring ray-tracing support to the game outside of PCs. For the foreseeable future, gamers will just have to settle for Minecraft's original art style and lighting technology.
Minecraft is available on all platforms.
Source: Minecraft/Twitter