Minecraft Stays Paid: 'Best Deal in the World'

In an era where numerous live service games have shifted to a free-to-play model, Minecraft remains steadfast in its premium pricing strategy. In a recent interview with IGN, Mojang's team reiterated their commitment to the "buy and own" approach, 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," 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, many titles have transitioned to free-to-download models, often accompanied by battle passes and cosmetic packs, yielding varied results. Examples include Overwatch 2, Destiny 2, and even Minecraft's Microsoft counterpart, Halo Infinite's multiplayer.

Despite industry pressures to find new monetization strategies, Mojang remains unfazed. "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. 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 spend additional money for new features. This approach is showcased by the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, arriving free of charge in the coming months. With no plans for a Minecraft 2, there's no need to repurchase the best-selling game anytime soon, unless you're looking to play on one of the myriad devices it's available on.

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