Special edition of this popular game is encouraging fans to upgrade to Windows 10

A special edition of popular block building and exploration game "Minecraft" encourages millions of fans to make a Windows 10 upgrade.

The 20.3m-strong community of players who own "Minecraft" on a Mac or Windows computer are in line to benefit from an enhanced edition called Windows 10 Beta Edition.

Windows 10 launched on July 29, and just as it is a free upgrade for owners of Windows 7 and 8, the $9.99 "Minecraft Windows 10 Beta Edition" is also free to those that have purchased "Minecraft" on PC.

A perennial chart-topping franchise on YouTube, "Minecraft" parent Mojang was acquired by Windows developer Microsoft in September 2014; a Windows Phone version arrived three months later.

And only the Windows 10 Beta Edition offers multiplayer with friends on Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the Pocket Edition for Android, iOS, and WP handsets, while harmonizing ideas from across PC, console and mobile formats.

Linking a user's Microsoft account with a Mojang account leads on to the Windows Store where the Windows 10 edition of "Minecraft" can be downloaded.

"Minecraft" on Windows 10 is one of several upgrade incentives - apart from performance and interface improvements over the last Microsoft OS, Windows 8.

Goodies for gamers

While the Xbox 360 controller has become the default gamepad for many PC gamers (many excellent third-party pads do exist), the improved Xbox One controller carries refinements to design and battery consumption. Native wireless compatibility on PC, however, is a Windows 10 perk.

Microsoft's other internal studios are also in support. Already announced are cross-platform Windows 10 and Xbox One game "Fable Legends," and "Gears of War Ultimate Edition" for later in 2015. Holiday 2016's "Sea of Thieves" elaborates on the popular piracy motif of "Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag."

More broadly, graphics tech DirectX 12 will drive high-end adoption, producing even more impressive visuals; again, it's set for Windows 10.

Meanwhile, others in the PC gaming industry have been exploring additional avenues.

Valve Corporation, which runs dominant online retailer Steam, has been developing its own free, Linux-based Steam OS; the Humble Bundle store has continued to increase awareness of Mac and Linux gaming as viable and attractive alternatives.

But Mac and Linux OS's account for just of 9% of the desktop and laptop ecosystem (per. NetMarketShare, June 2015); Windows looks to capitalize on 91% of existing consumer preference.