

Whilst the restriction can be frustrating, this is more than enough time to try out the various mechanics in the game, and familiarise yourself with the gameplay loop if you’re uncertain as to whether you’ll enjoy it. The time limit varies from platform to platform, but always averages out at around 90-100 minutes, equating to around 5 in-game days. To ensure this isn’t exploited, you have a time limit imposed once you begin the trial.


The free trial (regardless of the Edition or your platform) is the full game as paying customers would experience it there is no barred content that will be inaccessible. In terms of the Java Edition, which is available exclusively to Windows, Mac, and Linux, an additional set of links are available lower down on the same page, with specific instructions on how to download and install each respective version. Via Minecraft’s official website, you can access links that will lead to the download pages for the Bedrock Edition, available on Windows, Android, PS3/4/5, and PS Vita. So good on Mojang for finally providing us with a new demo, I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who will appreciate the release.For those wanting to get a taste of the endless hours of entertainment that Minecraft can provide, but are yet unwilling to pay the entry fee, there is in fact a free trial of both Bedrock and Java versions of the game. I'm sure it's difficult for devs to make everybody happy, and self-indulgent reviews hardly outweigh the amount of exposure a trial version will provide. There are more than a couple of users asking for the game to go completely free now that they've had a taste, which is more than a common occurrence for paid mobile apps. I'm not entirely sure why it has taken Mojang so long to release a new demo for Android, but some of the current Play Store reviews may hint at why so few devs ever bother.

Still, this release serves as a solid entry point for those unfamiliar with the game. Another limitation is that there's a time limit to the trial, and you'll only have access to the survival mode since everything else is locked down. The first is that this is a soft-launch title, so only a few regions will have access. And while Android used to have a Minecraft demo, the new trial version means users can once again take the game for a spin without putting any money down, but there are a couple of catches. The Java version of Minecraft for PC has had a free demo since 2012, and even the newer multi-platform Bedrock edition has had a demo for the Windows 10 app since 2017.
