Get Minecraft Ray Tracing on Windows 10 & Xbox One

Ray tracing is making a name for itself in the market for transforming the world of gaming for good with its incredible feature of leveling up the visuals massively. Like many other games it is currently in its beta phase and if things go as anticipated the permanent version will be out soon. For your convenience, this article will cover all the basis for what Ray tracing is and how it can be accessed on Xbox One and Windows environment.

What is Minecraft?

It was developed by Mojang Studios and is now played by millions of people daily. It is a sandbox game that was created in the Java language. The game out in 2011 and since the past 9 years people have not stopped loving it any less. It is considered to be the best-selling game of all time. It sold more than 200 million copies including every platform that it is made available on. For people who recently started playing or who do not have a very strong hold, a little background regarding the dynamics of the game can help a lot.

In this game, there is a 3-D world and you as a player explore the world and gather many different tools and items. There are different options regarding how you want to play this game. Firstly, you can play this game against the 'mobs' who are the computer-controlled figures in the game. Another way of playing this game is to play against other players online, now you can either compete with other players or playing with them and against other competitors. The game also includes a survival mode in which the main idea is to not only build the world but maintain and balance their health. Apart from this, there is a creative mode in which players have access to resources and be utilized indefinitely. Not only this but players can also modify the game to suit their likings such as creating new mechanics, assets, or items.

Minecraft is a game that is highly critically acclaimed across many platforms. It has received many awards and is considered to be very influential on its players. It is not surprising how much it is liked and admired by players all around the world. In 2014, the Mojang studios were purchased by Windows along with the intellectual property of Minecraft.

Minecraft and its use of the Ray Tracing technology

Minecraft has been a very popular game for years that is played by millions of users daily. It is a sandbox game, however, the one thing it lacked was that it never focused on visuals. The gameplay of Minecraft is so intriguing that it attracts many users daily and has them addicted to it completely. With time Minecraft has realized the importance of graphics and since then has been working on a technology that is now called the Ray Tracing technology which is solely focused on graphics. It works in a very interesting way by noticing and observing the path of lights similar to how the pixels are in the plane of an image. Along with this, it automatically stimulates the effects that are related to virtual objects.

Minecraft is usually associated with the blocks and less to no graphics. However, with this technology of Ray Tracing, it has evolved and now the graphics are nothing like before. The effects will be much more realistic and closer to reality such as the lightings and even the reflection of objects. The graphics would improve immensely with this new technology that the developers of this game are so adamant about introducing.

Launch, 19^th August

On August 19 2019, along with NVIDIA, Minecraft released an introduction of its Ray Tracing technology through a sneak peak of the trailer. The short video brought out its many aspects such as the RTX Graphics card by NVIDIA which directly supports this technology that Minecraft is introducing. In the trailer, the graphics stunned the audience and the community could not wait for it to be launched. Finally, after a long waiting time from the community, Minecraft launched a beta for the public on April 16th, 2023.

There are a few conditions that need to be met for you to access it. These are mentioned below.

1. You can only access it if you are involved in the Insider Program by the Xbox One.

2. Good GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) such as RTX 2060

3. A fast and stable Wi-Fi connection

It is must for you to fulfill all these requirements so you can move on and play the game and experience a whole new gaming world. If your hardware doesn't meet the minimum set requirements, that still makes you eligible to try out the beta version of the game.

Why is Ray Tracing Tech for Minecraft so special?

The only thing that had been holding Minecraft back previously was its graphics. Now since this has been introduced, there is not anything that is holding it back anymore. This is incredibly special as it results in the game being highly visual and this is quite noticeable when you access it especially when you load either of the environments in the game that are only accessible to the master builders.

Examples With Ray Tracing OFF

Examples With Ray Tracing ON

From my personal experience of using the Aquatic Adventure, the visuals were nothing like I have ever seen before. Every aspect of the game including the water, reflection, waves, and the blocks of crystal seemed way too real for just a game. It gave me an HDR experience because of the new graphics and textures that had been introduced and now were clearly visible on the screen.

Accessing the beta version on Windows 10 and Xbox One

You've to keep this mind that this technology is in its trial beta mode. Your curiosity is justified and if want to play and access it, you have to be a beta tester of Minecraft. For that, you are required to sign up and make sure you fulfill all the prerequisites that are essential to be met. You are also required to have the latest digitized version as it lacks compatibility for the users of disc owners.

System requirements

There are some minimum requirements you are supposed to meet regarding the system. It is not possible to access it on a PC with low specifications as you need excellent specifications to access it effectively. If the minimum requirements are not met it can result in issues such as lagging, crashing, and even freezing frequently.

Once you've fulfilled the minimum requirements; you need to follow the simple steps. These steps are mentioned below to access the beta version of Minecraft equipped with this new technology on Windows 10 or Xbox One.

Step 1: Visit the Store on whichever device you are using this on.

Step 2: Go to the search bar and type the the following app 'Xbox Insider Hub'.

Step 3: Once you have located it, click on it and, install this application on the device.

Step 4: Once the app is downloaded, open it.

Step 5: After opening it, click on 'Insider Content'.

Step 6: Visit 'Minecraft Beta'.

Step 7: Visit the screen section and look for the 'Join' button and click on it.

Step 8: This is when you begin playing and experience the new stunning and vivid graphics.

Noticeable features in this new technology

Once you start playing this game, it is very natural that you get lost in it, however, there are a few key highlights and features that you are bound to notice.

1. Shadows appear all over screen-both hard and some quite soft but are still very realistic.

2. There is illumination lighting that is global which makes the world looks realistic.

3. In the terrain, the windows provide the light which fills the interiors.

4. There is accurate pixel lighting due to blocks of illumination and various other source of light.

5. Various reflections appear on many surfaces.

6. In the environment, light is refracting through many transparencies such as ice and stained glass.

7. Many atmospheric effects appear natural i.e. fog, sunshine, and even the God rays.

All these minor but highly impactful changes make a huge difference in how the game looks now. There might be other changes as well and if you noticed them, feel free to comment below.

Final Words

This new technology of Minecraft will forever change how the game works and operates. The only thing that ever held the game back was its poor and low graphics but now since that has changed with the NVIDIA's RTX, the game is not the same. This is it; this is how you access the beta versions of the game.

I hope it was comprehensive and understating for you. If you have any queries, mention them below and we will get back to you.