The release of Minecraft on the Nintendo Switch has a weird caveat: in order to use the online multiplayer mode for cross-play, you need an Xbox Live account. Well, for that reason, it turns out that playing the game on the Switch can also earn you Xbox Live achievements.
Polygon is reporting that starting later this year, Nintendo Switch owners will be able to unlock Xbox Live achievements. This was spotted by Patrick Maka over on the True Achievements website, where a list of achievements for the Nintendo Switch version of Minecraft were spotted.
The achievements also apply to the PC version of the game and the iOS and Android versions of the game as well. Obviously, the PlayStation version of Minecraft relies on the trophies instead of achievements, so that's why it doesn't appear on the achievement list.
The reason for the tie-in between the Nintendo Switch and the Xbox Live is because in order to enable the cross-play functionality between the PC, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch, gamers on the Switch needed an Xbox Live account. There's no word yet on if this will still apply when the premium version of the Nintendo Network gets underway later this year.
What we do know is that a spokesperson for Mojang told Polygon that this wasn't a mistake or a fluke, but that Nintendo Switch owners will be able to legitimately link up their Xbox Live accounts and unlock achievements for their account by playing Minecraft through the Nintendo console...
We can confirm that Minecraft players on Nintendo Switch will soon be able to earn achievements tied to Xbox Live once the Bedrock update is released,
The Bedrock update is scheduled to launch at some point later this year. Last year, the update enabled Xbox, iOS, Android, PC and even owners of VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive to play with each other using cross-platform compatibility.
The game has already been out and available for the Nintendo Switch, but this particular update will enable the ability for gamers to unlock achievements on the Switch.
PlayStation gamers have been unable to join in on the fun due to the fact that Sony has denied gamers the ability to engage in cross-platform compatibility. The company cited console security concerns as the reason why there wouldn't be any support offered for cross-platform compatibility. However, Sony does allow PS4 and PC gamers to play with each other, despite the fact that PC gamers actually can undermine security and utilize cheats in games.
Even still, Switch and PS4 gamers won't be playing with each other anytime soon. Switch and Xbox gamers will share a much different relationship, though. What's more is that Switch owners who have Minecraft and their Xbox Live account enabled will be able to earn achievements when the update goes live later this year.
I do wonder if this will also work to lure more Switch gamers over to the Xbox or if it will lure Xbox gamers over to the Switch, maybe to play a portable version of the game?
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