Nvidia and Mojang are launching a public beta for Minecraft that adds real-time ray tracing on April 16, 2020. Windows 10 users can download this free update to experience enhanced visuals. The beta also features NVIDIA DLSS 2.0 for better performance.
The announcement comes at a time when many players might be returning to Minecraft, offering a significant visual upgrade. Dubbed 'Minecraft with RTX', this feature was first unveiled at Gamescom 2019, where it showcased softer, more realistic lighting and immersive light reflection on blocks. These blocks now include properties like additional height, roughness, light emission, and metallic appearances, allowing materials such as lava and water to glow and refract light more naturally.
To highlight these capabilities, six new worlds will be available for free download from the in-game Minecraft Marketplace. They include:
- Aquatic Adventure RTX by Dr_Bond
- Colour, Light and Shadow RTX by PearlescentMoon
- Crystal Palace RTX by GeminiTay
- Imagination Island RTX by BlockWorks
- Neon District RTX by Elysium Fire
- Of Temples and Totems RTX by Razzleberries
The beta incorporates NVIDIA DLSS 2.0, which enhances framerates while improving image quality. Participation requires signing up through the Xbox Insider Hub starting April 16, along with a GeForce RTX 2060 GPU or higher and the latest NVIDIA Game Ready Driver. This update aims to make Minecraft environments appear more lifelike, potentially drawing back veteran players with its technical advancements.
