In a time when 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, the game's developer, expressed their commitment to maintaining the "buy and own the game" approach, even 16 years after its initial release. So, if you're hoping for Minecraft to become free-to-play, you might be waiting a while.
"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, numerous titles have transitioned to being free-to-download, often supported by in-game purchases like battle passes and cosmetic packs. This shift has had mixed outcomes, as seen with games such as Overwatch 2, Destiny 2, and even Minecraft's Microsoft counterpart, Halo Infinite, particularly in its multiplayer aspect.
While the pressure to find new monetization strategies is palpable for many video game publishers and developers, this isn't a concern that Mojang's team, including Garneij, feels acutely: "No, no. What's important for us is that many people can enjoy it still and that's going strong still."
This sentiment was echoed by Agnes Larsson, game director of Minecraft Vanilla, who added, "For me, it's part of the important values of Minecraft. It's become such a vital element of what Minecraft is and its culture and values, and I think we all here can agree on that. It's a crucial aspect of the game and 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 players to spend additional money for new features. A prime example is the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, which will be released free of charge in the coming months. Furthermore, with no plans for a Minecraft 2 on the horizon, there's no need to repurchase the best-selling game of all time any time soon—unless, of course, you want to play it on one of the numerous devices it's available on nowadays.
For more details on upcoming updates, be sure to check out everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025.
