Minecraft: Bedrock Edition finally gets a feature PC players have had for over a decade

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By Rebecca Spear
published

A permadeath hardcore mode is in testing for Bedrock Edition.

Minecraft hardcore mode
(Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • As of today, Minecraft: Bedrock Edition players can test out the game's new hardcore mode. 
  • This is a mode that has been available on the Minecraft: Java edition, but hadn't been available on Bedrock Edition. 
  • In hardcore mode, death is permanent. You will not respawn if you die and you cannot interact with the world, but you will still be able to see it. 

Minecraft: Bedrock Edition players rejoice! It's just been officially announced that hardcore mode is in testing, making it available for you to experience... finally! This is a feature that has been part of Minecraft: Java for a while now, so it's nice to see Bedrock Edition players finally be able to experience it now. 

As stated in an official tweet from the Minecraft X account, in "this mode death is permanent, and you can't respawn –  which is why we'll keep this mode in testing until we're confident the experience is smooth for both players and creators."

A picture included in the post explains things further:

Welcome to Hardcore mode

Here's what you need to know about Hardcore mode: 

1. When you die, you will not respawn — game over!
2. You can't turn off Hardcore mode after creating this world.
3. After you die, you can see but not interact with this world. 

A new way to enjoy Bedrock Edition

Minecraft has been around since 2009, and both versions continue to see frequent updates. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
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As a refresher, Minecraft originally launched in 2009 but was eventually acquired by Microsoft in 2014. The Java version was the original Minecraft, but Bedrock Edition started development in 2011 and fully released in 2016. Both Minecraft: Java and Bedrock Edition have continued to see frequent updates over the years. Even so, both game versions offer features that the other doesn't have.

Considering that Minecraft has been such a popular game for so long, it's strange to think that certain features are still only exclusive to either the Java or Bedrock Edition. Thankfully, hardcore mode is no longer part of that list. There's no telling how long hardcore mode will remain in testing for Bedrock Edition, but it's nice to know that the good people at Minecraft are focused on ensuring that it makes for a solid playing experience. 

After all, when permadeath is part of a game, strange bugs that lead to unwarranted or accidental deaths can make the playing experience extremely frustrating. So, it's nice to see that the Minecraft team is working to ensure hardcore mode works appropriately before fully releasing it. If you're feeling up to the challenge, you can check out Minecraft's hardcore mode right now. It certainly adds another layer of depth to the game for people who have been experiencing the sandbox adventure for years.

Rebecca Spear
Rebecca Spear
Editor and Reviewer

Self-professed gaming geek, Rebecca Spear, is one of Windows Central's editors and reviewers with a focus on gaming handhelds, PC gaming, and laptops. When she isn't checking out the latest games on Xbox Game Pass, PC, ROG Ally, or Steam Deck; she can be found digital drawing with a Wacom tablet. She's written thousands of articles with everything from editorials, reviews, previews, features, previews, and hardware reviews over the last few years. If you need information about anything gaming-related, her articles can help you out. She also loves testing game accessories and any new tech on the market. You can follow her @rrspear on X (formerly Twitter).

4 Comments Comment from the forums
  • fdruid
    Headline is wrong.
    Bedrock IS PC Minecraft too.
    I've played Bedrock version exclusively myself, so I am a PC player and I haven't had this option before.

    So the headline is inaccurate.
    Reply
  • Lithradus
    fdruid said:
    Headline is wrong.
    Bedrock IS PC Minecraft too.
    I've played Bedrock version exclusively myself, so I am a PC player and I haven't had this option before.

    So the headline is inaccurate.
    I registered to say this very thing.
    Reply
  • Zachary Boddy
    fdruid said:
    Headline is wrong.
    Bedrock IS PC Minecraft too.
    I've played Bedrock version exclusively myself, so I am a PC player and I haven't had this option before.

    So the headline is inaccurate.
    Minecraft: Bedrock Edition is available on PC, it's not really considered the PC version. Most Minecraft players on PC are statistically and historically playing Java Edition, which has had Hardcore Mode since 2011. Hence the headline.
    Reply
  • darkdeath174
    Zachary Boddy said:
    Minecraft: Bedrock Edition is available on PC, it's not really considered the PC version. Most Minecraft players on PC are statistically and historically playing Java Edition, which has had Hardcore Mode since 2011. Hence the headline.
    Still not very PC player.

    I've never touched Java and I mostly play Bedrock on my PC.

    Wouldn't be hard to say "Java players" in the headline instead.
    Reply