Minecraft began with incredibly humble origins, but has since exploded into the one of the biggest gaming phenomenon of all time. For the last 11 years, the game has united people of all ages in the pursuit of exploration, adventure, creativity, and more, and it seems that it will continue to do so for some time. Since its initial release in 2009, this game has seen nothing but growth in both its own features and scope as well as its audience, and now the game is bigger than ever before. According to Mojang, the company will only grow stronger as time goes on.
For those unaware, Minecraft released on September 17th, 2009 and has since seen countless updates, spin offs, and amazing fan creations. In celebration of this, Mojang has decided to rebrand, with a new logo, visual identity, and name. Mojang Studios is now the united front of both offices (there is one in Stockholm, Sweden as well as Redmond, Washington) and will feature a fresh logo representing this newfound cohesion in the company. The team at Mojang Studios feel as though this has been an incredible year for the company despite setbacks caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, and hopes to continue going strong.
Minecraft Then and Now
Back in 2009, Minecraft was essentially made by one person. Many current Minecraft enthusiasts may not even recognize a lot about the game, such as the outdated cobblestone texture or the complete lack of recognizable mobs. Before long, franchise staples like the Creeper were added to the game, and things started looking more like they do today. In the early years of the game, other features such as cows, The Nether, and more were still being worked out and added slowly, a far cry from the current versions of Minecraft which even support ray tracing.
Now, in 2020, Minecraft is bigger than ever before, with over 70 different unique biomes for players to explore and conquer, around 50 different types of mobs and counting, and numerous updates focused on expanding existing mechanics such as the Village and Pillage update or the Aquatic update, there is undoubtedly a lot to do in the game. That said, Minecraft's staple is and always has been its player base, whose creativity and passion has kept the game alive and imbued it with a longevity not found in many other places. All of these updates and additions are there simply to give players more tools and techniques to make their creative ideas a reality and to provide more challenges.
Minecraft in the Time of Coronavirus
The Coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented change in the lives of everyone, with many stuck at home struggling financially while other, essential employees work despite the risk. Naturally, Mojang Studios looked to see what it could to do alleviate stress, and Helen Chiang, the Studio Head, has highlighted some great accomplishments. Minecraft released an Education Edition, which contained tools and information to make homeschooling children easier, which is free until the end of June. Beyond this, the free Blockdown map helps teach players about effective social distancing and responsible self isolation practices.
Of course, as with all things Minecraft, the community has made several strides in this department as well, with some amazing creations and events being put together in support of other players. Players have recreated their own universities in Minecraft and held graduation ceremonies at them, others have used the virtual platform as a way for children to celebrate their birthdays with their friends. All of this is in addition to the regular levels of creativity found in the game, with insane undertakings happening daily. One group of players is even recreating the entirety of the planet Earth in the game with the help of mods and plugins.
Minecraft Spin-Offs
Aside from toy lines and other merchandising, Minecraft has also been treated to several spin offs. Starting with Minecraft Story Mode in 2015, this endeavor provided a story to what is usually a completely sandbox experience. Despite its simplicity, many were fond of the game. Beyond this, Minecraft Earth released last year, providing Mojang Studio's take on the augmented reality genre of games like Pokemon GO. These titles have provided players with new ways to engage with the world of Minecraft while still maintaining the core values of the game.
Now, in just 8 short days, the latest spin off, Minecraft Dungeons will release. This ambitious title is set to combine elements of story from Minecraft Story Mode, exploration from Minecraft Earth, and of course the general aesthetic and family friendly vibe of Minecraft into what is shaping up to be an enjoyable dungeon crawler experience. Though this is the latest, there is bound to be more spin off titles in the future, and the original Minecraft itself is still being updated as well, with the Nether update coming later this Summer and providing new biomes, enemies, and added depth to Minecraft's sinister dimension.
11 Years of Growth
And Minecraft is still growing. Mojang Studios reports a massive increase of 25% in new Minecraft players joining the community just last month, showing that the game is still on the upswing even after 11 years. Beyond this, there was a yet more amazing 40% spike of Multiplayer sessions, further proving that Minecraft is being used as a platform to socialize in times when doing so in person is either dangerous or impossible. More than likely, these patterns of growth will continue even after the Coronavirus pandemic is over.
Many players can conjure up countless positive experiences and memories of things that took place within Minecraft. Adventures with friends, hilarious deaths, amazing builds and projects, all of these things are what make up Minecraft's legacy. For those wishing to celebrate Minecraft's 11th anniversary, the best way to do so is to simply play it. Beyond this, with Minecraft Dungeons releasing in less than 2 weeks, there are even more ways to enjoy Minecraft with friends and family coming soon.
Minecraft is available now for Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.