With how many games use the free-to-play model these days, some might wonder if any established games might pivot to expand their player base further. While some studios might be considering that type of move, chalk Minecraft out of that conversation.
If you’re waiting for Minecraft to become free-to-play, Mojang says that won’t happen anytime soon.
Speaking to IGN, Mojang producer Ingela Garneij explained why Minecraft isn’t jumping on the free-to-play bandwagon. Garneij explained, “It doesn’t really work with the way we built it. 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.”
Garneij added that the game is “the best deal in the world.”
Minecraft game director Agnes Larsson parroted Garneij’s sentiment, stating, “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.”
To put it bluntly, Minecraft doesn’t need to go free-to-play, given its success as a premium product. It’s not like there are no other revenue streams available after the initial buy-in, either, as Minecraft has skins, texture packs, and other add-ons that players can buy to enrich the experience further.
Minecraft’s primary demographic is children, and given that the game doesn’t rely on flashy new graphics and the like, its core gameplay loop and appeal won’t get stale for kids anytime soon. Millions of kids are born yearly, meaning Mojang won’t have a lack of clientele anytime soon.
Outside of the game’s structure not being up for it, Microsoft doesn’t need to do it. In case you didn’t know, Minecraft is the best-selling game of all time, with over 300 million copies sold across mobile, tablets, consoles, and PC.
However, not everything about Minecraft turns to gold. The spin-off real-time action-strategy title Minecraft Legends, released in 2023, failed to capture a player base, and support for it was halted in just a few months in January 2024.
As for Minecraft, the game’s latest content drop saw the popular blocks crossover with the Dungeon & Dragons franchise once again.
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Source: https://www.dualshockers.com/mojang-minecraft-cant-go-free-to-play-built-differently/
