Minecraft Pocket Will Likely Evolve Like Original Version

Don't worry: zombies and creepers will eventually infest the mobile version of Minecraft.

If you've played the mobile version of Minecraft, it's not quite as robust as the version offered on the PC. Missing are the elements that make it challenging like fending off hostile zombies and creepers while trying to create weapons and mining tools. You don't even need to gather materials, and the mining and crafting aspect isn't even present. Gamers essentially build just using a set group of materials in a finite world.

According to developer Mojang, the team has no idea how the pocket edition of its highly-successful sandbox game will turn out. But like its PC-based predecessor, it will evolve over time based on user feedback, or rather, it will be updated in a way that fits the actual audience. Yet the good news is that the game will eventually be more like the PC version, as a survival mode, animals, enemies, item crafting and even a new file system is in the works.

On Friday Mojang business developer Daniel Kaplan told Gamasutra that content updates haven’t been released because the team wants both the Android and iOS versions -- which saw a staggered release over 2011 -- to be on equal ground in regards to stability and content. The only difference between the two going forward will be the submission processes of Apple and Google.

But as far as a clear-cut direction in where the game will eventually go, Kaplan has no clue, but perhaps that's a good thing. "[Differences between the PC and mobile version] will be revealed as we move forward. It is still in an early state and I don’t want to promise anything at this point," he said. "The players have told us what they want to see more of, and we are working on it."

Minecraft - Pocket Edition first appeared on the Xperia PLAY during CES 2011 back in June, and then was officially released on the device on August 16. Mojang didn't publish the game for all Android devices until October 8, followed by an iOS release for Apple's App Store on November 17. According to Gamasuta, Mojang just released a bug-fix focused update for the iOS app. On the Android side, the recent update brought better tablet support, cactus, a Turn Sensitivity setting and more.

Given that Minecraft - Pocket Edition is an unfinished product, Kaplan suggests that critics keep that aspect in mind while they're evaluating the game in its current state. Still, Kaplan and the team are pleased with the reception thus far. "I think it is up to the journalist to decide [how to review the game] and hopefully they understand that they are reviewing an unfinished product," he said.