In an era where many live service games have shifted to a free-to-play model, Minecraft remains steadfastly a premium experience. In a recent interview with IGN, Mojang's developers expressed their commitment to the "buy and own the game" approach, even 16 years after its initial release. Don't expect Minecraft to transition to free-to-play anytime soon.
“Yeah, it doesn't really work with the way we built it," said 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, many titles have transitioned to a free-to-download model, often relying on battle passes and cosmetic packs for revenue, with varying degrees of success. Notable examples include Overwatch 2, Destiny 2, and Minecraft's Microsoft counterpart, Halo Infinite, which adopted this model for its multiplayer component.
Despite the industry's shift, Mojang feels no pressure to follow suit. "No, no. What's important for us is that many people can enjoy it still and that's going strong still," Garneij affirmed.
Agnes Larsson, game director of Minecraft Vanilla, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the game's core values: "For me, it’s part of the important values of Minecraft. It's become such an essential part of what Minecraft is and its 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, introducing new features like the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, which will be available to all players at no additional cost. With no plans for a Minecraft 2, there's no need to repurchase the best-selling game of all time unless you wish to play on another of the many devices it's available on.
Stay updated with everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025 to learn more about what's coming to the game.
