Just like the first release of Minecraft all those years ago, this version will develop and evolve over time with the help of your feedback. That’s why it has “Beta” in the title - because it’s not quite finished, and will become even more fun over time. Just like the other versions of Minecraft, all future updates will be free.

If you’re one of the more than 20 million players who have the PC edition of Minecraft (referred to by techy people as the Java version) you’ll be able to download Windows 10 Edition Beta from the Windows 10 store for free. Other players can get it for the paltry price of $10 during the beta period (the length of which is still being decided).

In Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta, you’ll recognize some Pocket Edition features, along with potpourri of cool extras.

We’ve been busy this summer avoiding harmful UV rays and working on bringing you more content for Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta, Pocket Edition and the Gear VR Edition. We’re excited to give you a sneak peek at what’s coming in the next major update for these editions, called the Boss Update. This fearsome update is packed with content that is sure to thrill every type of Minecraft player, with two big new boss battles, new blocks for building and even the first set of long-awaited slash commands for those who love to tinker with the game.

Survival players are in for a real treat with the Boss Update. Ocean Monuments will be discoverable, and you can enjoy adventuring in these new, rare locations with their friends beneath the sea. Get ready to fight through the Elder Guardian boss and its squad of Guardian sea creatures with laser beams attached to their heads, conquer underwater enclaves and loot their treasures.

We’re also introducing the Wither boss battle to Minecraft on mobile and Windows 10with the Boss Update. The Wither boss is a powerful, floating, three-headed mob who is clearly up to no good.  You can summon and defeat this mob in order to claim the ultra-rare nether star item that it drops. Nether stars can then be used to craft beacons, unique blocks that can project a beam of light into the sky and can provide helpful status effects to players in the area.

Creative players will benefit from the ability to use new blocks in their creations from the introduction of these new gameplay features – they’ll be able to light up their creations with beacons and sea lanterns, build with prismarine blocks and decorate with sponges.

And finally for those who love to tinker with Minecraft, we’re bringing the long-awaited first set of slash commands. Slash commands allow you to make quick changes to the game without utilizing a menu – give other players things from your inventory, summon a mob at your will, change the time of day or weather, swap back and forth between survival and creative modes, and more! There are over 20 slash commands included in this update, with more to come in the future.

The Boss Update will be out as a free update for all owners of Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta, Pocket Edition and Gear VR Edition this fall. In the meantime, if you’d like to be one of the first to help us test it out, you can join the public beta on Android starting Monday! And, be sure to keep your eyes open for even more exciting news about the Boss Update that we are greedily hiding away until MINECON in September.

Here are some highlights:

• Craft, create, and explore online with up to seven friends playing Windows 10 Edition Beta, through local multiplayer or with your Xbox Live friends online.
• Play online and local multiplayer with other Pocket Edition players thanks to a free update, due to arrive soon after launch.
• Multiple control schemes! Switch between controller, touch, and keyboard controls with little to no effort!
• Record and share gameplay highlights with built-in GameDVR.
• Help shape the future of Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta with our built-in player feedback mechanisms!
• Chickens, zombies, pigs, boats, armed skeletons, potatoes, zombies, baby squids, enchantment tables, villagers, naked sheep, iron golems, potions, ghasts, pickaxes, carrots, and all the weird and wonderful goodness you’ve come to expect from Minecraft.