Minecraft Stays Paid: 'Best Deal in the World'

In an era where many live service games have shifted to a free-to-play model, Minecraft remains a steadfast 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. "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 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 component), have transitioned to a free-to-download format, often supplemented with battle passes and cosmetic packs, yielding varied outcomes.

While the pressure to innovate monetization strategies is real for many game developers, Mojang seems immune to these pressures. "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, echoed 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

10 Images

Minecraft will continue to evolve without requiring additional payments for new features, as demonstrated by the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, set to arrive free of charge in the coming months. With no plans for a Minecraft 2 on the horizon, there's no need to repurchase the best-selling game anytime soon—unless you're looking to play it on one of the numerous devices it's available on.

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