No, just no.

There will still be minecraft pocket edition and maybe a mac version because mac isn't much competition at this point. However, this could be used to push windows 10 over steam/ playstation.

You state that MS are moving away from Xbox exclusives so why are games like Halo still exclusive to Xbox? Thats not a very good point at all.

As for the OP, i agree that i dont see the reason for MS to release Minecraft on the next PS platform. Clearly the game was contracted to be on PS4 however PS5 and beyond, there is no point with a new generation. They will hold on tight with there game and use to it drive there hardware platofmrs only. Thats my prediction.

As for the Switch version, like the OP states that Nintendo isnt in competition with Xbox and MS. Nintendo seem to have a healthy relationship with MS hence why MS still released Rare games on Gameboy after there purchase. The Switch is also a portable device which will drive Minecraft in the portable market however as for home consoles there really only needs to be one home console. If gamers dont like it, well they have plenty of time to think about there next home console purchase since there not coming out in awhile. I do suggest that if you want to play it safe and are a huge Minecraft fan i suggest getting the console which owns the IP. Than you wont be disapointed.

Nope. A game like Minecraft would suffer greatly if it was limited to a single platform. I mean, the thing is everywhere, it would be a shock just turn it into an exlusive like that.

Yeah, cause putting it on the next-gen console is a great sign of their efforts to make it exclusive

Yep, Gears of War 4 and Forza Horizon 3 are already on that track, Halo 6's eventual release is almost certainly going to follow the same path.

An IP such as Minecraft is profitable because of licensing. Stores are crammed full of overpriced Minecraft junk, Minecraft lego stuff, etc. That means that you want the biggest exposure possible to keep that fire going. Crossing out the console with (by far) the largest global marketshare would be an idiotic move that won't pass muster. If this was still Microsoft 2007-2013 era, it would be a possible idea. Mehdi's MS? Not a chance. Dollars and sense-wise, this is about overall market penetration for the IP.

They've already been extremely lukewarm with the Xbox tie-in on Minecraft, which seems a lost opportunity to me. The Minecraft Xbox bundle should have included a custom Minecraft-themed console and controller for sure.

But overall, selling Minecraft the game for $20 to a kid is much less interesting to them than having that same kid beg his parents for $500 worth of Minecraft junk over the next few years of his life, Microsoft getting a cut of every bit of that with no effort or expense expended, whether or not he has any, all, or zero consoles or PCs beyond whatever platform he got the thing on to start with.

Expanding the marketing cross-reach should be their goal. You should be able to go out and buy the Minecraft Star Wars add-on pack for your game for $20, the Marvel Avengers pack, the Guardians of the Galaxy pack, etc. Terrible value perhaps to the PC modder fans, but for those playing on Phone, WiiU, Vita, PS4, Xbox One, etc, I'm more than confident that would sell gangbusters.

Sure... if they are willing to lose millions in sales.

I wonder how popular Minecraft will still be in a few years.

Only if Minecraft will stay very popular and the next xbox is a huge fail, they might make it an exclusive.

Lmao never in a milion years, It managed to sell 1M on Vita, heck, it'll sell 1M on the Switch...

My prediction is it will go cross-play and you can access your world from pc, consoles and mobile