Minecraft is one of the most popular and influential video games of all time. It has been sold over 200 million times across various platforms and has over 140 million monthly active players.
But how does this sandbox game generate so much revenue, which allows players to create and explore infinite worlds?
In this blog, we will look at the different sources of income for Minecraft and its developer, Mojang Studios.
In this blog, we will look at the different sources of income for Minecraft and its developer, Mojang Studios.
Game Sales
The most obvious way that Minecraft makes money is by selling the game itself. Minecraft is available on PC, consoles, mobile devices, and even virtual reality devices. Each version has a different price, ranging from $6.99 for the mobile edition to $26.95 for the PC edition.
According to Mojang, Minecraft has sold over 238 million copies worldwide since April 2021. That means that the game has generated over $6 billion in revenue from game sales alone.
In-Game Purchases
Another way that Minecraft makes money is by offering in-game purchases to its players. These include cosmetic items, such as skins, textures, and maps, that can be used to customize the game experience.
These items are sold through the Minecraft Marketplace, which is available on the Bedrock Edition of the game (the version that runs on consoles and mobile devices).
The Marketplace allows players to buy items using a virtual currency called Minecoins, which can be purchased with real money. According to Mojang, over $350 million in revenue has been generated by creators in the Minecraft Marketplace so far.
Minecraft also offers in-game purchases on the Java Edition of the game (the version that runs on PC). These include realms, which are private servers that allow players to play online with their friends.
Realms have a monthly subscription fee that varies depending on the number of players and the duration of the subscription. For example, a realm for up to 10 players costs $7.99 per month.
Mobile Revenue
Minecraft also makes money from its mobile version, which is one of the most downloaded and highest-grossing apps on both iOS and Android devices.
According to Statista, the mobile version of Minecraft generated $102.6 million in global in-app purchase revenue in 2022. This accounts for about 41% of the total revenue of Minecraft in 2021.
The mobile version of Minecraft also generates revenue from advertising, which is displayed when players watch video ads to earn free Mine coins.
Chinese Edition
Minecraft also has a special edition for the Chinese market, which is a free-to-play game that NetEase, a Chinese internet company, distributes. The Chinese edition of Minecraft has been downloaded over 400 million times since its launch in 2016.
The Chinese edition of Minecraft makes money from in-game purchases and advertising, similar to the mobile version. However, the exact revenue figures for the Chinese edition are not publicly available.
Spin-Offs and Merchandise
Minecraft also makes money from its spin-off games and merchandise. The spin-off games include Minecraft: Story Mode, which is an episodic adventure game developed by Telltale Games, and Minecraft Dungeons, which is a dungeon-crawler game developed by Mojang Studios.
Both games are sold separately from the main game and have their own in-game purchases. They are likely to be significant given the popularity and recognition of Minecraft.
Conclusion
Minecraft is a money-making machine that has multiple sources of income. It makes money from game sales, in-game purchases, mobile revenue, Chinese edition, spin-offs, and merchandise.
It is estimated that Minecraft generated over $380 million in revenue in 2021, making it one of the most profitable video games ever made. With its loyal fan base, constant updates, and creative potential, Minecraft is likely to continue making money for years to come.
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and learned something new about how Minecraft makes money. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below.
