Friendly Update

Friendly Update made it easier to explore and play together across supported devices. It arrived as Pocket Edition v0.15.0 alpha, with a rollout spanning June 10–13, 2016.

Multiplayer

Realms and Cross-Platform Play

Realms provided hosted worlds that supported groups could revisit together. Compatible Pocket and Windows 10 players could connect across platforms, expanding multiplayer beyond a group using the same device type.

Mobs and Travel

Horses, Donkeys, and Mules brought mount-based exploration and transport. Horse Armor protected Horses, while Leads helped move animals between locations.

Husks introduced a desert Zombie variant, and Strays added a cold-region Skeleton variant. These encounters made the biome system more visible through its inhabitants.

Redstone

Piston Piston

Pistons and Sticky Pistons enabled moving-block machines. Observers added compact detection for nearby block changes, extending the automation work begun in the Overworld Update.

Platform Releases

Android received v0.15.0 alpha on June 10, 2016. Other supported platforms followed on June 13, including related Windows 10 and Gear VR releases. The June 3 announcement introduced the name; it was not the update’s full release date.

Other Highlights

The Friendly Update connected new travel tools with a broader multiplayer environment. Its name emphasizes playing together, but the redstone and Survival additions were also a substantial part of the release.

Gallery

Official Artwork

Friendly Update - Promotional Image — The Friendly Update’s launch image introduces its shared-play and travel theme.