Minecraft is often considered the poster child for forward-thinking gaming features like cross-platform multiplayer play, and a single code base that spans all of your devices. However, such an ambitious undertaking is bound to come with a plethora of bugs and roadblocks that can prevent you from having an enjoyable experience. Fortunately, there's usually a workaround if you're diligent enough to look for it. Here's what we've found out so far. Everyone who games has likely encountered some kind of problem or another that's interfered with their fun time. Especially in regards to multiplayer games, any number of factors can come into play and complicate things. I'm here to hopefully shed some light on those issues when it comes to Minecraft, and find solutions anyone can take advantage of. Most problems exist in three categories: your game, your account, and your hardware, ranging from as simple as a single toggle all the way to diving deep into your Wi-Fi router's configuration. Let's dive right in! Issues with Minecraft(Image credit: Source: Windows Central)The most common issues one might have with multiplayer in Minecraft are usually something to do with Minecraft itself. More specifically, either the worlds themselves aren't set to allow multiplayer, or the game hasn't been set up to allow multiplayer with players from other platforms. Both are pretty easy fixes. Let's tackle them one at a time. Each world you create has its own settings, so you can have full control over which worlds your friends have access to, and which ones you wish to keep all to yourself. If you have a world that isn't allowing multiplayer, here's what you need to do:
If the problem you're having with your game is playing with people on other platforms, then you might not have set up cross-play on your device. If you're playing on Xbox or Windows 10, the fix is as easy as making sure you're signed into a valid Xbox Live (or Microsoft) account. If you're playing on the Nintendo Switch, this guide will help you out. If you're playing on Playstation 4, this is the guide for you. If neither of those guides had the answers you needed, the next section probably will. (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)Cross-play and multiplayer often require having the correct accounts and the correct settings to compliment those accounts. Making sure these are set up properly is an excellent way to cross off another couple of obstacles when you're having issues getting online. There are usually two accounts you'll need to worry about: your Microsoft Account and the account for the platform you're playing on. A Microsoft Account is what connects Minecraft: Bedrock Edition across all platforms, and it's also what enables multiplayer with players on other platforms. This account is doubly crucial on Xbox and Windows 10 devices, as your Microsoft Account pulls double duty and handles absolutely everything to do with multiplayer in the form of an Xbox Live account. By default, your Microsoft Account will be set up correctly to allow cross-play in multiplayer. If you're under 18, though, there's a chance your Microsoft Account is blocking multiplayer access. Here's all the information you might need to have: Issues with hardware(Image credit: Source: Windows Central)If all else fails, the issue may lie with your network hardware. This is the last resort, since it does require a fair bit of work and a little bit of technical know-how to pull of, but you should only have to do this if you're having issues with playing online at all. If your home's internet network hasn't been configured correctly, a lot of functions like voice chat, creating parties, or playing online at all might be restricted. If you use a VPN, or Virtual Private Network, to monitor and secure your internet activities, that may also be the culprit here. Let's tackle them one at a time. To configure your router correctly, do the following:
Finally, if you use a VPN on top of your internet network, you need to make sure that P2P (partner-to-partner) connections are allowed. Most VPN's will have dedicated servers that allow P2P, so consult with your VPN settings or application to make sure you're using the best server for you. Although, to be honest, VPN's aren't great for online gaming, since they introduce additional latency and lag on top of your network, so you might consider turning your VPN off temporarily when you're preparing for a bout of gaming. All better now(Image credit: Source: Windows Central)Minecraft is a glorious (and gloriously complicated) game that strives to unite gamers on all platforms together. That also means gamers on platforms, all shapes and sizes run into various issues preventing them from getting online. Hopefully, this guide nails the vast majority of them, and lets you narrow down exactly what's causing the problem. If this guide didn't work for your problem, let us know, and we'll do our best to find a creative solution for you. If it did work, what are you still reading for? Go and play! Have you run into any other Minecraft issues? Have you found a workaround for them? Sound off in the comments below! |