Minecraft Stays Paid: 'Best Deal Globally'

In an era where many live service games have shifted to a free-to-play model, Minecraft remains steadfastly a premium purchase. In a recent interview with IGN, Mojang's developers reaffirmed their commitment to the game's "buy and own" approach, even 16 years after its initial release. So, if you're hoping for Minecraft to become free-to-play, you might want to temper those expectations.

"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 like Overwatch 2, Destiny 2, and even Minecraft's Microsoft counterpart Halo Infinite (specifically its multiplayer) have transitioned to free-to-play models, often laden with battle passes and cosmetic packs. These shifts have had mixed outcomes. Despite this trend, Mojang feels no pressure to change their monetization strategy. "No, no. What's important for us is that many people can enjoy it still and that's going on strong still," Garneij emphasized.

Agnes Larsson, game director of Minecraft Vanilla, further elaborated on this stance: "For me, it's part of the important values of Minecraft. It's become such an important thing 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's commitment to its players means that new features, such as the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, will continue to arrive free of charge in the coming months. With no plans for a Minecraft 2, fans won't need to repurchase the best-selling game of all time any time soon—unless they want to play on one of the many devices it's available on.

For more details on what's coming to Minecraft, check out everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025.