It is not exactly a secret that Minecraft would be seeing some RTX functionality. Nvidia and Microsoft have now revealed that the beta version of Minecraft with RTX will be available this Thursday.

This beta will launch with 6 RTX Creator Worlds and these will become free to download from the in-game Minecraft Marketplace, they will demonstrate the capabilities of Minecraft with RTX technology.  The results of Minecraft with ray tracing are impressive – realistic hard and soft shadows are seen everywhere; global illumination realistically lights the world, with that light filling interiors through windows and gaps in the terrain; illuminated blocks and other light sources cast pixel-perfect lighting.

Reflections are seen on all reflective surfaces and blocks, with a level of fidelity far surpassing that of screen space reflections; light reflects, refracts and scatters through water, ice, stained glass, and other transparencies; and atmospheric effects occur naturally, resulting in high quality volumetric fog, and pixel-perfect god rays.

From Thursday you will be able to use the functionality early in a beta. To use the beta, you must first uninstall the game, then reinstall it and then activate the beta.

Minecraft RTX beta downloadable starting Thursday the 16th: full path traced ray tracing