The History of Minecraft

You drop into a world of forests, mountains, and swamps. It’s made entirely of blocks. You begin mining for bricks and stone to build a home. Suddenly, a group of creepers appears. Luckily, you have a diamond sword to fight them off.

If this sounds familiar, you’ve probably played Minecraft. Since it was released 10 years ago, Minecraft has sold more than 176 million copies. For gamers, it’s hard to imagine a world without it.

“Minecraft changed everything that came after it,” says video game expert Mizuko Ito.

Here are five reasons the game became a hit.

You drop into a world of forests, mountains, and swamps. It’s made entirely of blocks. You begin mining for bricks and stone to build a home. A group of creepers suddenly appears. But you have a diamond sword to fight them off.

This may sound familiar. You’ve probably played Minecraft if it does. Minecraft has sold more than 176 million copies since it was released 10 years ago. It’s hard for gamers to imagine a world without it.

“Minecraft changed everything that came after it,” says video game expert Mizuko Ito.

When Minecraft came out, it offered players something other games didn’t—endless freedom and creativity. The goal of Minecraft isn’t to score points or complete a quest. It has no time limit, like the Madden NFL or FIFA games. It has no levels, like the Mario games.

Instead, players figure out how the game works as they explore. They can build almost anything they can imagine­.

Minecraft offered players something other games didn’t when it came out. It offered endless freedom and creativity. The goal of Minecraft isn’t to score points or complete a quest. Games like Madden NFL and FIFA have a time limit. But Minecraft doesn’t. And games like the Mario series have levels. But Minecraft doesn’t.

Players figure out how the game works as they explore instead. They can build almost anything they can imagine.

Minecraft has brought people together like no other video game before it. Rather than compete against each other, players collaborate. 

Players can join the same Minecraft world as their friends—whether they’re across the street or across the globe. Then they can work together to build worlds they couldn’t have created on their own. 

Minecraft has brought people together like no other video game before it. Players collaborate rather than compete against each other.

Players can join the same Minecraft world as their friends. It doesn’t matter whether their friends are across the street or across the globe. Players can work together to build worlds they couldn’t have created on their own.

Today, YouTube is loaded with gamer videos, and many of them feature Minecraft. There are close to 1.3 million Minecraft videos on the video-sharing site. That’s more than twice as many as any other game.

Players create videos to give tips, to show off their creations, or just to make viewers laugh. Videos made by the most popular Minecrafters have been viewed billions of times.

YouTube is loaded with gamer videos today. Many of them feature Minecraft. There are close to 1.3 million Minecraft videos on the video-sharing site. That’s more than twice as many as any other game.

Players create videos to give tips, to show off their creations, or just to make viewers laugh. Videos made by the most popular Minecrafters have been viewed billions of times.

Minecraft is used in classrooms around the world. Teachers use it to help teach everything from science and math to history. Students can build a replica of the White House as they learn about government. They can assemble a block version of our galaxy as they study space. 

Teachers who use the game say it helps students learn important skills, like problem solving and coding.

Minecraft is used in classrooms around the world. Teachers use it to help teach everything from science and math to history. Students can build a replica of the White House as they learn about government. They can assemble a block version of our galaxy as they study space.

Teachers who use the game say it helps students learn important skills. These include problem solving and coding.

A decade after it first came out, Minecraft is still popular. About 90 million people play it each month. The game is updated often with new creatures and features.

Yet Minecraft remains a simple, block-filled land of endless possibilities—and no clear ending. Players come together to create, and no one wins or loses. 

“That’s really the magic of Minecraft,” says Ito. 

Minecraft is still popular a decade after it first came out. About 90 million people play it each month. The game is updated often with new creatures and features.

Yet Minecraft remains a simple, block-filled land of endless possibilities. There is no clear ending. Players come together to create. No one wins or loses.

“That’s really the magic of Minecraft,” says Ito.