Minecraft Stays Paid: 'Best Deal Globally'

In an era where many live service games have shifted to a free-to-play model, Minecraft remains steadfast in its premium approach. During a recent interview with IGN, Mojang's developer team expressed their commitment to the "buy and own the game" model, even 16 years after its initial release. So, if you're holding out 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," explained Ingela Garneij, the 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 to 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 evolves, numerous titles have transitioned to free-to-download models, often supported by in-game purchases like battle passes and cosmetic packs. Examples include Overwatch 2, Destiny 2, and even Minecraft's Microsoft sibling, Halo Infinite (specifically its multiplayer mode). Despite this trend, the pressure to find new monetization methods doesn't seem to affect 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.”

Agnes Larsson, game director of Minecraft Vanilla, further emphasized this sentiment: "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 players to pay for new features. The upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, arriving free of charge in the coming months, is a testament to this approach. With no plans for a Minecraft 2 in sight, 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 countless devices it's now available on.

For more on what's coming to the game, be sure to check out everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025.