Minecraft Won't Go Free-to-Play: 'It's the Best Deal in the World'

In an era where many live service games have shifted to a free-to-play model, Minecraft steadfastly remains a premium experience. In a recent interview with IGN, Mojang's developer team confirmed their commitment to the traditional "buy and own the game" approach, even 16 years after its initial release. Don't hold your breath for Minecraft to switch to a free-to-play model anytime soon.

“Yeah, it doesn't really work with the way we built it," stated Ingela Garneij, the 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 have transitioned to a free-to-download format, often riddled with battle passes and cosmetic packs. Games like Overwatch 2, Destiny 2, and even Minecraft's Microsoft counterpart, Halo Infinite (specifically its multiplayer component), have adopted this model with varying degrees of success.

Despite the industry's push towards new monetization strategies, Mojang seems immune to these pressures. Garneij emphasized, “No, no. What's important for us is that many people can enjoy it still and that's going strong still.”

Agnes Larsson, the game director of Minecraft Vanilla, further elaborated on this sentiment: "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, introducing new features without requiring additional payments from players. This commitment is evident with the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, set to be released at no extra cost in the coming months. Furthermore, with no plans for a Minecraft 2 on the horizon, there’s no need for fans to repurchase the best-selling game anytime soon—unless they wish to play it on another of the numerous devices it supports.

For more insights into what's coming to Minecraft, be sure to check out everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025.