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Despite Microsoft Purchase, Minecraft Edges Closer to Release on PS Vita

Handheld edition sent to Sony for certification tests, suggesting release date will be announced shortly.

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The PlayStation Vita edition of the seminal sandbox game Minecraft is one step closer to release, with the game's code now going through its final bug test at Sony.

Scotland-based developer 4J Studios, which is handling the port of Markus Persson's breakthrough indie game, has now submitted the game's code to Sony and is awaiting approval.

This latest development suggests further that the PS Vita version will not be cancelled, by neither Sony nor Microsoft, despite the latter software giant purchasing the IP.

In mid-September, Microsoft announced it had agreed in principal to acquire Minecraft and its developer Mojang in a deal believed to be worth $2.5 billion. As part of that deal, the studio's three founders--Markus Persson, Carl Manneh, and Jakob Porser--will be leaving the company.

At the same time, Microsoft assured that it would not be wiping any versions of Minecraft from Sony's devices such as PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4. Sony, which retains the right to remove the games from its platforms, has not suggested that it is willing to delete any of the games.

Since its initial release in 2009, Minecraft has been downloaded more than 100 million times on PC alone. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, released between 2012 and 2013, are still proving popular, with both games regularly holding their spot in the UK all-format top ten.

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