Minecraft is now 12 years old. In 2019, it topped Tetris as the best-selling game of all time. Since then, Minecraft has continued to attract millions of new players each year.
While other games have risen and fallen in popularity within that time, Minecraft has continued to grow its fanbase. What is it that has made this low-poly plotless game so successful? This post explores some of the reasons.
An endless game
There are no storylines in Minecraft. Minecraft Survival servers do introduce an element of levelling up complete with trophies – but there are still few objectives. Instead, Minecraft encourages players to create their own goals. Featuring a map three times the size of the Earth, players have plenty of room to explore and build upon. This has resulted in players accomplishing extensive building projects ranging from life-size reconstructions of the Eiffel Tower to entire interpretations of fantasy worlds like Middle Earth and Westeros. Many of these builds have been shared across the internet and have inspired new players to get involved and test the limits of their imagination.
Constant updates
Minecraft is constantly introducing new updates to flesh out the game. This regular stream of new content is part of what has kept Minecraft’s fanbase hooked. It has also helped attract new players by making the game more interesting for those who may have initially dismissed it. Minecraft’s creators are known for listening to their fans when it comes to introducing updates. This includes yearly community votes as to which mobs will be introduced.
A great community
The extensive community around Minecraft has helped attract many new curious players. Across the internet you will find many sites and forums and videos dedicated to Minecraft. There is a lot of collaboration between players when it comes to taking on massive building projects and many gamers from other communities (as well as general creative-minded people) have been eager to join in.
The return of old fans
A lot of original fans of Minecraft that stopped playing years ago have returned to the game to see what new features have been added. Many people who deleted the game are redownloading it and falling back in love with it – both as a result of nostalgia and the many improvements made to the game.
No game like it
There is no game that quite encourages the same boundless exploration and creativity as Minecraft. There have been many successful imitations such as Terraria, but none have been able to capture the charm of Minecraft. Part of what made Minecraft stand out initially was its rejection of flashy graphics and clear progression. Many games require very little imagination because they hand it all to you by trying to be as realistic and instructional as possible. Minecraft instead empowers players to be as imaginative as possible – creating new worlds and game modes, as well as encouraging players to suggest improvements. The result is a game that has been built and designed by the players themselves.
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