Minecraft Education Edition Is Available On Chromebooks

Ahead of a new school year that could see students never stepping foot in a physical classroom, Microsoft is bringing Minecraft: Education Edition to Chromebooks.

The Chrome OS release of Minecraft: Education Edition will support cross-platform play between the Windows, iPad and Mac versions of the game, so students will have the chance to interact and collaborate on their projects regardless of what device they're playing on. Microsoft is updating the game to include 11 new STEM lessons, and the Minecraft world that teaches students all about pollination and bees. The update also includes an updated lesson plan library and tagged capabilities.

According to the company, Chrome OS, iPad and Windows devices will automatically install the update. Mac users will have to manually download the update. Schools that have already used Minecraft: Education Edition in their classrooms won't need to change their subscription. Microsoft will include the Chrome OS version to its Microsoft 365 for Education A3 and A5 licenses.

Minecraft: Education Edition is available since 2016. It's not surprising that it's being made available to Chromebooks this year. Google's computing platform is the dominant one for education. In the year 2019 Google reported that there were 30 million Chromebooks used in schools around the world. Pyramids In 2018, Chromebooks represented 60 percent of all laptops and tablets purchased for K-12 classrooms in the US. What's interesting about this update is that it gives Chrome OS users an official method of installing Minecraft without having to sideload the game onto their device.