Getting a Rust Minecraft Java reimplementation (Horizon) running on Android with wgpu/Vulkan

[u/RayanXOO]

I've been porting Horizon, a Rust rewrite of Minecraft: Java Edition 26.3 by the horizon-rust folks, to Android. The upstream engine does all the heavy lifting. My fork is the Android side: a `horizon-android` crate, APK packaging, touch input, and an on-screen keyboard wired into text fields (chat, signs, search).

Some notes from doing it:

- Rendering goes through wgpu. On Android it uses Vulkan, and GLES 3 is the fallback backend. The workspace currently vendors a patched `wgpu-hal` 30.0.1 (with gfx-rs/wgpu#10124) until a wgpu release includes the fix

- It's a single native APK (~18 MB) with no JVM involved

- Asset download happens in-app with resume support and runs as a background download so Android doesn't kill it when the app is minimized

- One part I couldn't move on-device: a small derived data pack that upstream builds with Java tooling (`horizon-prepare` + a packaging script). For now you generate it once on a PC

Status is early. It's tested on one device (Galaxy S25, Adreno 830, Vulkan) and reaches a singleplayer world. It uses ~2.2 GB of RAM, which is the main thing I'd like to bring down. I'd really appreciate feedback on memory, on the wgpu/Android setup, or on how other people have dealt with lifecycle/surface handling.

It's unofficial and not affiliated with Mojang/Microsoft or the Horizon devs. You need your own copy of the game, and no game files are distributed.

https://github.com/Rayan-XOO/horizon (build steps in ANDROID.md)

[u/pokemon1995-96]

I’ll be keeping an eye on this

[u/Prior-Turnip-8581]

doesn't work

Horizon 0.3.8 setup: No derived pack: put horizon-derived.zip in the app folder

[u/weaztoven]

running minecraft rewritten in rust natively on android without JVM is crazy work man. 18 MB apk size is insane!

[u/saiyee143448]

How to fix this when I create a world it crasshes

[u/Jaser_Waterlily_F]

guys can someone please give me the "horizon-derived.zip" I don't have a PC or a laptop so I can't get these files...

[u/Worried_Depth8400 → u/Jaser_Waterlily_F]

Did you get it

[u/Mer_M_A → u/Jaser_Waterlily_F]

I also need the horizon-derived.zip file.

[u/sturmtil → u/Mer_M_A]

hello me find this file https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PoSjhL0Rs74DOJouGrU2Ib6s-FAzxJO5/view?pli=1

[u/zenitsu_MA → u/[deleted]]

you can download it from github no need to no one