| Minecraft | |
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 Cover art since 2024 | |
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| Series | Minecraft |
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| Release | 18 November 2011[a]
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| Genre(s) | Sandbox, survival |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Minecraft is a 2011 sandbox game developed and published by Swedish video game developer Mojang Studios. Originally created by Markus "Notch" Persson using the Java programming language, the first public build was released on 17 May 2009. The game would be continuously developed from then on, receiving a full release on 18 November 2011. Afterwards, Persson left Mojang and gave Jens "Jeb" Bergensten control over the game's development. In the years since its release, it has been ported to several platforms, including smartphones, tablets, and various video game consoles. In 2014, Mojang and the Minecraft intellectual property were purchased by Microsoft for US$2.5 billion. Minecraft has since become the best-selling video game of all-time, with over 300 million copies sold and nearly 170 million monthly active players as of 2024.
In Minecraft, players explore a procedurally generated, three-dimensional world with virtually infinite terrain made up of voxels. Players can discover and extract raw materials, craft tools and items, and build structures, earthworks, and machines. Depending on their chosen game mode, players can fight hostile mobs, as well as cooperate with or compete against other players. The game has two main modes; one being survival mode, where players must acquire resources to survive, and a creative mode where players have unlimited resources and the ability to fly. Several other game modes exist besides the two main ones, such as one that allows players to spectate others, one that plays identically to survival mode, but features permadeath, and one that prevents modification to the world, useful for mapmakers. The game's large community also offers a wide variety of user-generated content, such as modifications, servers, skins, texture packs, and custom maps, which add new game mechanics and possibilities.
Minecraft has received critical acclaim, winning several awards and being cited as one of the greatest video games of all time; social media, parodies, adaptations, merchandise, and the annual Minecon conventions played prominent roles in popularizing the game. The game has also been used in educational environments to teach chemistry, computer-aided design, and computer science. Several spin-offs have also been made, including Minecraft: Story Mode, Minecraft Earth, Minecraft Dungeons, and Minecraft Legends. In addition, a live-action film based on the game, A Minecraft Movie, is scheduled for a theatrical release in April 2025.
- ^ Persson, Markus (17 May 2009). "Minecraft 0.0.11a for public consumption". The Word of Notch. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2018 – via Tumblr.
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