Minecraft Stays Paid: 'Best Deal Ever'

In an era where numerous 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" model, even 16 years after the game's 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," explained 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 coupled with battle passes and cosmetic packs, yielding varied outcomes. Notable examples include Overwatch 2, Destiny 2, and Minecraft's Microsoft counterpart, Halo Infinite, particularly in its multiplayer mode.

While the industry pushes developers to explore new monetization strategies for survival, this pressure seems absent for Garneij and her Mojang colleagues. "No, no. What's important for us is that many people can enjoy it still and that's going on strong still," she stated.

Minecraft Vanilla's game director, Agnes Larsson, further elaborated on this sentiment: "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, introducing new features without additional charges, as demonstrated by the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics update, set to be released 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 anytime soon, unless you're looking to play it on one of the many devices it's now available on.

Stay updated with everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025 to learn more about what's coming to the game.