On Monday, Microsoft and NVIDIA announced that Minecraft for Windows 10 will be getting an RTX update. Sebastian wrote up how the popular dig and build game will have raytraced lighting, reflections, and shadows. This will help increase the quality of water, metals, and environments with colored materials. They are otherwise keeping the same assets, so it will still have the blocky and pixelated look that you’re used to.
NVIDIA also announced that the RTX update will be moddable. Users will be able to add their own content to Minecraft for Windows 10 while keeping “RTX ON”. I don’t know how extensible Minecraft for Windows 10 is compared to Minecraft for Java, which was massive.
Speaking of the Java version – RTX is (as far as we know) not coming to it.
Of course, Minecraft for Java could theoretically support RTX. The DirectX 12-branded DXR API is not the only way to access NVIDIA’s hardware. In fact, NVIDIA wrote LWJGL bindings for their VK_NVX_raytracing and SPV_NVX_raytracing APIs to bring RTX support to Java. This might upset some Windows 10 (Edit Aug 21st, 4pm EDT: I meant Windows 7… Windows 10 users will only be upset at creepers and endermen) users, but it will be especially annoying to those who game on Linux, which would otherwise be able to see the light.
