Minecraft, launched in 2009 by Markus ‘Notch’ Persson, has continued to grow in users a decade after its original release, acquiring new users every year and seeing bursts of older players returning. After its launch, Notch handed over creative control to Jens Bergensten, who is still in creative control of the bedrock edition as of 2023.
As millions flocked to this new game, Mojang continued to add new elements to the base experience, enabling more complex creations by its users. Microsoft acquired Mojang in 2014 for $2.5 billion, after which Mojang continued to expand the Minecraft universe. Several variations of Minecraft were launched, such as a free Chinese edition in 2016 with NetEase and an education edition in the same year. Virtual reality versions of Minecraft are also available on various platforms. In terms of expansions, Telltale Games launched Minecraft: Story Mode between 2016 and 2017, and Mojang followed up with Minecraft Dungeons in 2020 and Minecraft Legends in 2023.
Minecraft benefits not only from new players, but also from old players returning to the game. The constant release of content updates and new features regularly draws players back to the game. The massive amount of Minecraft content creators also provide a steady stream of new players. It is no surprise that in 2023 Minecraft has broken the 180 million active monthly player mark.
| Year | Average Monthly Players |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 40 million |
| 2017 | 55 million |
| 2018 | 75 million |
| 2019 | 91 million |
| 2020 | 131 million |
| 2021 | 150 million |
| 2022 | 170 million | 2023 | 180 million |
Minecraft has established itself globally as a game, but there are hotspots. Some countries account for a significant share of Minecraft players. The USA is by far the leader. In recent years, however, we have also seen strong growth in regions such as India and Indonesia. These countries will also be among the Minecraft hotspots in the near future.
| Country | Share of Total Minecraft Players |
|---|---|
| USA | 21.2% |
| Brazil | 6.1% |
| Russia | 5.5% |
| UK | 5% |
| Germany | 4.6% |
Minecraft is sold digitally as well as physically for all major platforms such as PC, Playstation, XBox and Switch. As one of the most popular games, Minecraft is of course also often pirated, which is not included in this data collection.
| Year | Cumulative Copies Sold |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 4 million |
| 2012 | 9 million |
| 2013 | 33 million |
| 2014 | 54 million |
| 2015 | 72 million |
| 2016 | 100 million |
| 2017 | 122 million |
| 2018 | 154 million |
| 2019 | 176 million |
| 2020 | 200 million |
| 2021 | 238 million |
Terraria is a sandbox adventure game that was developed by Re-Logic, an independent game development studio. The game was initially released for Microsoft Windows on May 16, 2011. It was created by Andrew Spinks, also known as “Redigit,” who served as the lead developer and designer for Terraria.
A mighty fortress is paramount to survive the harsh environment and the enemies in valheim. But most of all you need a great fortress to impress your friends. Learn how to construct an awesome Valheim base in this article.
Valheim is a popular Viking-themed survival game where players must gather resources, build structures, and battle enemies to survive.
