Microsoft announced today that Minecraft: Education Edition is now available on Chromebooks.
Now, if you were hoping this means that the standard Minecraft game is now also available on Chromebooks, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. The Education edition not only requires a Microsoft 365 for Education license (A3 or A5), but is also meant to be more of an educational tool than a game, with lessons focused on math, science, language arts, history and visual arts.
The company says it is working with the Google Education team to bring Chromebook training courses to Minecraft.
The Chromebook version will offer the same feature set as Minecraft: Education Edition on Windows, Mac and iOS, including cross-platform multiplayer support. For now, students will need a Microsoft account to sign in, although the company says support for signing in with Google accounts will come "in the near future."
"Minecraft: Education Edition is a game-based learning platform that helps develop key 21st century skills such as coding and creative problem solving," Microsoft explains in today's announcement. "Hundreds of free standards-aligned lessons, design challenges and STEM curriculum are available in-game and online, along with flexible templates for teachers to design their own learning activities. A time to stay connected with the class is to utmost importance, Minecraft supports collaboration and meaningful student-led learning. "
Minecraft: Education Edition is now available in the Google Play Store for users with the right licenses. Despite a clear warning that it takes an Office 365 Education account to log in, you'll see plenty of one-star reviews from disappointed players who think it's regular Minecraft. With the right Chromebook, however, these players could still play Minecraft for Android on Chrome OS too.
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