Bethesda silently updated DOOM today for the Nintendo Switch, adding in a bunch of new improvements and gameplay updates.
One of these unexpected features was the addition of motion controls, giving Switch owners a unique way to kill hordes of demons on the go.
The controls work in a similar way to Nintendo's Splatoon 2 games. When players move the console, Doom guy aim tracks the movement. The left analog stick still controls movement but physically moving the Switch is the only way to aim with the crosshairs.
Motion controls had been a widely requested feature since the game launched on Nintendo Switch a few months ago, so it's good to see Bethesda actively listening to the community and making constant changes to the game post-launch.
Alongside the new motion controls, Bethesda has also added a multiplayer party system to the game to make it easier for people to group with their friends on online deathmatches.
The update also added a bunch of improvements to the overall experience, fixing a ton of bugs that once crashed the game and improving the overall performance of DOOM in both docked and handheld modes.
Minecraft is an experience that's best shared with others.
Players can create a random generated server to craft, explore, and survive the night by themselves, or they can choose to join up with friends online to do whatever their imagination desires.
Depending on what you want to do in Minecraft, there's something for everyone. You can face off against your friends online in daunting survival challenges, catch small creatures to help protect your homes, or just build a house with a couple of friends.
With that in mind, we scoured the internet to find a small selection of the best and most popular servers used by fans, gamers, and YouTubers alike for you to join and experience for yourself.
Joining Minecraft Servers
Joining a server on Minecraft for PC is easy.
First, find a server that you like and get its IP address. The address will either be a series of numbers or a small web HTML link. Load up Minecraft, click multiplayer, and then click the “Add Server” button.
Paste the copied link into the IP address option and then click “Done.” The server will then appear in the list right above the “Add Server” button for you to join whenever you want.
Server List
Hypixel Network (Mini Games)
Server: mc.hypixel.net
The Hypixel server is packed with a ton of different Minecraft-themed mini games for players to take part in. Paintball, Bed Wars, and Walls are just some of the game types that you can jump into from the start by using the server's helpful menu system.
Shotbow (MineZ and Hunger Games)
Server:us.shotbow.net
The Shotbow server is the home of two of Minecraft's most popular game modes—MC Hunger Games and MineZ.
In Hunger Games, players are forced into a battle to the death while scavenging for items, and the last player alive wins. As for Minez, players are dropped into a huge map and are forced to scavenge for food and resources to keep themselves alive for as long as possible.
Journey Gaming (PixelMon)
Server:play.journeygaming.com
Have you ever wanted to craft a house in Minecraft while capturing Pokémon at the same time? Well, now you can with this Pixelmon server.
In order to join the server and play Pixelmon, however, you'll need to download the mod and a special version of Minecraft, which can be found on the Pixelmon website and Minecraft Forge website. Each website has guides for how to install and play the mod, so be sure to check those out.
Corba Craft (Vanilla)
Server:play.corbacraftmc.com
Corba Craft is one of the best Vanilla servers around. These servers are specifically designed to stop griefers and give you a safe environment to play the classic Minecraft game mode. The server sometimes resets, however, which means your creation might not always be there when you return.
Potterworld (RPG)
Server: PotterWorldMC.com
Here's your chance to be a wizard and explore the world of Harry Potter to your heart's content. Potterworld is a unique take on the Harry Potter world, offering its own unique story and housing system.
Players learn to become a wizard before flying off to Hogwarts and answering a set of questions to be put into a house. They can then work together with other players in their house in battles, quests, and more to try to win the House Cup.
Nintendo is going to perform some server maintenance this week that will cause some disruptions for certain gamers. Minecraft is the first scheduled for a disruption, which will start tonight for players in North America. That’ll be followed by disruptions to some online gameplay for some unspecified games, trouble purchasing from the Nintendo eShop later on this week, and more.
Nintendo has warned its Switch console owners about the maintenance via its support website. According to the website, the company will start server maintenance affecting Minecraft starting tonight at 9PM PT / Midnight ET running through 10:30PM PT / 1:30AM ET.
During those times, Nintendo says Minecraft’s network services on Switch will be unavailable. Server maintenance planned for tomorrow night will have a similar effect for Switch owners, taking down some network services for “some software.” That maintenance will start tomorrow at 8:50PM PT / 11:50PM ET and last through Midnight PT / 3AM ET.
Nintendo Switch owners will likewise deal with a disruption to the eShop on February 26 starting at 5PM PT / 8PM ET running through 7PM PT / 10PM ET. That will result in “some network services” being unavailable to Switch owners with the use of credit cards being the aspect affected.
Finally, the Nintendo Game Store on the Web will also be affected by maintenance on February 26 with the credit card processing part being disrupted. That will run from the same time as the eShop maintenance and disruption for Switch owners. Click the link below for Nintendo’s status page to keep an eye on current maintenance.
Microsoft has shown off almost two hours of the upcoming Minecraft Bedrock Edition for Switch, demoing some of its new features and improvements in a recent livestream.Minecraft Bedrock Edition is, of course, Microsoft's new unified, cross-platform version of the hugely popular block builder, and is already available on Xbox One, Windows 10, and mobile.According to Microsoft, the core development of Minecraft Bedrock Edition for Switch (which will be free to all existing Minecraft owners on the console when it releases) is “mostly done”, and the team is now focussing on final overall quality improvements.
In the livestream, Bedrock producer Justin Woods acknowledges that the “Xbox [version] could have cooked a little longer” before it was released last year, and that the studio doesn't intend to make the same mistake twice: “We are really taking our time with Switch”.
Specifically, the team is “taking a lot of extra care […] with trying to make sure that this launch is really smooth, that the world conversion system works really well for people, and that migrating over from Editions […] is an easy transition for you to make”.
And certainly, based on the footage shown during the lengthy stream (which doesn't really get underway until the 30 minute mark, so you might want to skip ahead), the new Switch version of Minecraft looks to be an improvement on its predecessor in several technical areas. It appears to run at a pacy 60fps in both docked and handheld mode, and Microsoft says that the current build is able to display 14 chunks of the game world at a time.
That's substantially more than the 6 chunks viewable in handheld mode in the currently available Switch Edition, and a slight improvement over docked mode too. Chunks load quickly with a gentle fade-in transition, and the overall impression is of a smoother, far less claustrophobic experience on the console – the complex Super Mario Mash-up Pack map, which features heavily in the livestream, benefits greatly from the improved draw distance.
Elsewhere in the video, there's a look at a range of Bedrock features working on Switch – such as the new store front – and confirmation that you'll need a Microsoft account to play online with people on other platforms, but not with fellow Switch players.
The video also shows off a little of Bedrock's new touchscreen support for Switch's handheld mode. Touch can be used for inventory management, to navigate menus, and for typing with the on-screen keyboard when searching and chatting – which is certainly welcome.
Microsoft says that Minecraft Bedrock Edition should release on Switch “soon”. Hopefully its various improvements will help bring the much-maligned Bedrock version closer to the older, more refined legacy console editions.
Microsoft went ahead and gave a two hour sneak peak at the upcoming Minecraft Bedrock Edition for the Switch, which will fold the Nintendo Switch version of the game into a wider Minecraft network across consoles and platforms.
The Minecraft Bedrock Edition was announced last year and offers a cross-platform version of the game that connects each game on each console (sans PlayStation systems) to a united network.
Xbox One, Windows, and mobile users are already enjoying the Bedrock edition, but Microsoft says that the Bedrock update for Switch is “mostly done” and is in the final stretches of development. The Bedrock update will be free for Minecraft owners, so if you already own the Switch version, you can expect the free update when it's done.
Minecraft Bedrock producer Justin Woods says that the team is “really taking [its] time with Switch,” admitting that the “Xbox [version] could have cooked a little longer” before launch.
The Switch version of Bedrock seems to run at 60FPS both docked and undocked, and can apparently display 14 chunks of the game world at a time. The team says that it's “taking a lot of extra care… with trying to make sure that this launch is really smooth, and that the world conversion system works really well for people,” hoping to making migration between editions easier.
The Bedrock update also comes with touchscreen support for the Switch in handheld mode. This means you can touch the screen to manage your inventory, navigate menus, and even type in the chat using the onscreen keyboard.
There is no release date for the Bedrock edition on the Nintendo Switch yet, but Microsoft says that it should be soon.
The Bedrock update was a major new initiative for Minecraft when it was announced at E3 last year. Unfortunately the console rollout caused some consternation among fans as the new Minecraft client removed some of the console interface that made the game a joy to play on the Xbox One.
At the same time, cross-platform play is a big initiative for Microsoft, so if the Switch Bedrock edition can launch without issue, then hopefully Microsoft can continue to pursue this practice of promoting cross-platform play across even more titles.
Minecraft Bedrock Edition for Switch was shown off in recent livestream by Microsoft.
The livestream for Minecraft Bedrock Edition shows around two hours worth of footage on Switch.
Free for Switch users who own Minecraft, Bedrock adds the Better Together Update for the console, which is currently available on Xbox One, Windows 10, and mobile.
According to the developers on stream, the update is close to being finished, as the team is currently working on “quality improvements.”
In the livestream, per Eurogamer, it’s acknowledged the Xbox version of the Bedrock could have “cooked a little longer” and because of this the team is taking extra time with the Switch version.
“[The team] is taking a lot of extra care, trying to make sure that this launch is really smooth, that the world conversion system works really well for people, and that migrating over from Editions is an easy transition for you to make,” said Bedrock producer Justin Woods.
Upon release, Bedrock Edition will load 14 chunks of the game world at a time to the Switch version. This includes handheld mode as well, which currently only has six chunks. Load time is also faster and with a fade-in transition and features improved draw distance.
When Bedrock Edition releases, it’s noted in the stream players will need a Microsoft account to play online with others on different platforms, but not with Switch players. The Better Together cross-platform play is currently available on Xbox, Windows 10 and mobile.
Minecraft Bedrock Edition doesn’t have a release date for Switch other than “soon”. Give the stream a watch above to check out the Switch version of the update.
