More than 200 million copies of the block-building sim Minecraft have been sold, making it one of the most popular video games titles in the world. With more than one trillion views, the game has become YouTube’s most-watched game video.
Since its first debut in 2009, the open and extremely creative world of Minecraft has been a huge hit on the video-sharing platform. As a result, gifted modelers have filled YouTube with videos showing off their most remarkable creations, such as miniature replicas of Starship Enterprise, and Hogwarts, and fully functional computers.
YouTubers like Stampy Cat, DanTDM, and PewDiePie grew their followings by playing Minecraft and inventing their tales, events, and challenges thanks to the open design of the game. There are currently more than 35,000 operational YouTube channels devoted to Minecraft, originating in 150 distinct nations, says Minecraft.
Because of this, YouTube has published an animated clip highlighting moments from the platform’s history, as well as altering its logo for 24 hours. Minecraft-related videos from across the world will be included in specially selected playlists.
Minecraft community generates a diverse range of worlds and media. The Fallen Kingdom take on Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, created by CaptainSparklez, amassed 145 million views in its first week alone.
There is also a video of the game’s “end” being completed by Dream in much less than 23 minutes, which received 29.6 million views on YouTube. The makers of the videos typically make money from them either via sponsorships or by adding adverts and sharing a portion of that profits with YouTube.
“From the beginning we’ve let them play the game the way they want,” Winters said. “There isn’t a right or wrong way to play.”
A small group in Stockholm, led by programmer Markus Persson, began work on the first version of Minecraft in 2010. Mojang, the company that sprang out of that group, launched a beta copy of the game in 2009 before launching the complete version two years later. Microsoft purchased the firm in 2014 for $2.5 billion (£1.9 billion).
Persson departed the company in 2014. It’s been over a decade since Mojang first released Minecraft and the game has been constantly updated, bringing new characters, tales, and construction blocks to the realm. It is also possible to sell things, models, and mini-games you have developed on the Xbox Minecraft Marketplace, creating a functional economy in Minecraft.
New add-ons and merchandise are coming every year; a long-awaited movie is in production, and interest in the notion of shared online realms (also known as “metaverses”) is increasing, it’s doubtful that this will be the final milestone that Minecraft enthusiasts build.