In an era where many live service games have shifted to a free-to-play model, Minecraft stands firm as a premium experience. In a recent interview with IGN, Mojang, the developer behind the game, reaffirmed its commitment to the traditional "buy and own" approach, even 16 years after its launch. So, if you're hoping for Minecraft to become free-to-play anytime soon, you might be in for a long wait.
"Yeah, it doesn't really work with the way we built it," explained Ingela Garneij, executive producer of Minecraft Vanilla. "I mean, we built the game for a different purpose. So monetization doesn't work in that way for us. It's a purchase of the game and then that's it. For us, it's important that our game is available for as many people as possible. And so I think that's a very core value that it should be accessible for everyone. It's the best deal in the world."
As the gaming industry has evolved, numerous titles have transitioned to free-to-download models, often supported by battle passes and cosmetic packs, with varying degrees of success. Notable examples include Overwatch 2, Destiny 2, and Minecraft's Microsoft counterpart, Halo Infinite, particularly its multiplayer component.
Despite the industry's shift, the pressure to adopt new monetization strategies seems to be absent for Mojang. "No, no. What's important for us is that many people can enjoy it still and that's going on strong still," Garneij stated.
Agnes Larsson, game director of Minecraft Vanilla, further emphasized this philosophy: "I mean, for me, it's part of the important values of Minecraft. I think it's become such an important thing of what Minecraft is and the perfect culture and values, and I think we all here can agree on that. It's a thing for the game and it's one part of what makes the game strong. It has strong values."
Minecraft Vibrant Visuals Comparison Screenshots
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Minecraft will continue to evolve without requiring its players to spend additional money for new features. This is demonstrated by the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, set to be released free of charge in the coming months. With no plans for a Minecraft 2 on the horizon, there's no need to repurchase the best-selling game of all time anytime soon, unless you wish to play it on one of the numerous devices it's available on.
For more details on what's coming to the game, be sure to check out everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025.
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