In an era where many live service games have shifted to a free-to-play model, Minecraft continues to stand firm as a premium experience. In a recent interview with IGN, Mojang's developers reaffirmed their commitment to the traditional "buy and own the game" model, even 16 years after its initial release. Don't hold your breath for Minecraft to become free-to-play anytime soon.
"Yeah, it doesn't really work with the way we built it," stated Ingela Garneij, executive producer of Minecraft Vanilla. "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 filled with battle passes and cosmetic packs, yielding mixed results. Notable examples include Overwatch 2's switch to free-to-play, Destiny 2, and Minecraft's Microsoft counterpart, Halo Infinite's multiplayer.
Despite the industry's push for new monetization strategies to stay afloat, Mojang remains steadfast. "No, no. What's important for us is that many people can enjoy it still and that's going on strong still," Garneij emphasized.
Agnes Larsson, game director of Minecraft Vanilla, echoed these sentiments: "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."
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Minecraft will continue to evolve, introducing new features without charging players extra. A prime example is the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, set to arrive free of charge in the coming months. With no plans for a Minecraft 2 in sight, there's no need to repurchase the best-selling game of all time, unless you're looking to play it on one of the countless devices it's available on.
For more on what's in store, check out everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025.
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