Minecraft is undoubtedly one of the biggest games of all time, and no one can deny the influence that it has had on the gaming industry. Mojang Studios’ popular sandbox’s success can be observed by looking at the longevity and relevance that the game has been able to hold for more than a decade. The unexpectedly successful title was originally released all the way back in 2009, followed by a full version that launched two years later, in 2011.
Since then, it has shown no signs of stopping, with its player base increasing on a yearly basis. The game has stayed true to its roots, and because of that, even amid all of the rapid and massive changes that the video game industry has gone through, Minecraft has somehow stood the test of time.
To celebrate the game and look towards a bright future, the mega annual event called Minecraft Live 2023 took place on Sunday, October 15, and it consisted of a lot of major announcements for fans of the game.
Minecraft Has Sold a Whopping 300 Million Copies
It would not have been right for Live 2023 to talk about the future of the game without celebrating a major milestone that it has managed to achieve. The long-running sandbox from Mojang Studios has sold over 300 million copies, which is absolutely massive, and according to Microsoft, it is one of the most commercially successful video games ever made.
The fact that in 2021, that number was 238 million, and in just two years, it has increased by 62 million, is a testament to the game’s everlasting popularity.
The game is approaching its 15th anniversary, and to celebrate that, CVP Helen Chiang stated that the sandbox “remains of the best-selling games of all time,” which, according to her, is “a milestone no one could have dreamed of,” while the title’s initial fanbase was “placing” its “first blocks.” Chiang continued to acknowledge the “incredible community” that “has built Minecraft into what it is today and what it will become in the future.”
And it seems like the game is not going to be slowing down anytime soon because the team apparently “can’t wait to share new Minecraft content and experiences in the years ahead.”
There Is Lots More Minecraft to Look Forward to in the Future
Fans of a galaxy far, far away can rejoice because the force is strong with the upcoming DLC. The expansion is set to be based on the extremely popular media franchise, Star Wars, and will be available to get from the Minecraft Marketplace in less than a month on November 7. Titled Star Wars: Path of the Jedi DLC, the announcement was accompanied by a trailer during the live event.
The footage for the new Minecraft Star Wars DLC showcased how the iconic lightsabers and the Force powers would work in-game, while also revealing that some familiar faces from the franchise will be making appearances as well. The sandbox then plans on taking a break from its intergalactic adventure and coming back home because, following the Star Wars DLC, a Planet Earth III expansion is also on its way.
The hit British TV series called Planet Earth is returning to screens with its third instalment, Planet Earth III, and it will celebrate its debut with Minecraft.
In fact, the game’s Minecraft Education initiative will join forces with the BBC for the Planet Earth III DLC, which is set to hit the Minecraft Marketplace sometime next year in 2024. This will mark the second collaboration between the game and the news giant, as they have also created the Frozen Planet II expansion for the former in the past.
The upcoming DLC aims to educate around 300 million players that everyone is connected in some way or another and that it is our collective responsibility to protect the planet from deteriorating any further.
In addition to the aforementioned announcements regarding upcoming DLC, the Live 2023 event also addressed aspects of the game like Minecraft Legends, community requests, 15th anniversary plans, and a brand new update for Minecraft Vanilla called Update 1.21. Although the event was live-streamed on YouTube, it is still available to watch in its entirety here. Minecraft is not going anywhere.
Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
