Minecraft continues to see success across the many platforms it already inhabits, with its many different versions each receiving updates to keep the fun, creative times going. After Microsoft purchased Mojang last month for a hefty $2.5 billion, many wondered what the company was going to do with the property, to which Xbox head Phil Spencer reassured that things would stay the way they are, Xbox platform or not.

On its Xbox Wire news site, Microsoft announces a new way for people to get their hands on Minecraft: Xbox One Edition (as it's already a digital download), revealing that the in-store, retail version of the game comes to shelves next month, on November 18, 2014. This will be over a month after the PS4 version's retail release, which is currently set for October 7, 2014.

Like its PlayStation counterpart, Minecraft: Xbox One Edition allows player to transfer over their Xbox 360 saves and "most of their downloadable content" for use in a next-gen world that's 36 times larger. The content that's unable to be transferred wasn't detailed, but it's probably certain player skins that aren't supported by the Xbox One version. Additionally, for those Xbox 360 players, you can upgrade to the Xbox One edition for $4.99. Unsurprisingly, this only applies to the digital Xbox One version of the game.

If Minecraft on Xbox One and PS4 wasn't enough, the game is also coming to PS Vita, presumably, this year. Developer 4J Studios revealed last month on Twitter that Minecraft: PS Vita Edition is in the final stages. Following the Xbox One retail announcement, 4J chimed in once again, telling fans they'll share any future news regarding the Vita version, as it's currently without a release date.

We've handed Minecraft: PlayStation®Vita Edition over to Sony for final test! #MinecraftPSVita pic.twitter.com/VTVVC7Ii4a

— 4J Studios (@4JStudios) September 24, 2014

It's a little surprising that Minecraft: Xbox One Edition has a later retail release than the PS4 Edition, considering the aforementioned fact that Microsoft now owns both the property and its developer Mojang. Regardless, both digital versions are available now, so the retail releases are really for those that like having a gift to wrap for the holidays or people that prefer to own the physical discs. Despite the ever-growing popularity of buying things digitally, the latter still amounts to a decent number of people.

Minecraft: Xbox One Edition comes to retail on November 18, 2014 for $19.99. Be on the look out for the PS4 retail version next Tuesday, on October 7.

Source: Xbox Wire