In brief: Not only is Minecraft the best-selling video game of all time, but it's also the best-selling game by a very large margin. It's been revealed that the sandbox title has now sold over 300 million copies, almost double that of its closest rival.
With Minecraft set to celebrate its 15th anniversary in May next year, developer Mojang Studios has announced that the game has passed the 300-million-sales milestone. For comparison, the incredibly popular GTA V, the second-best-selling game ever, has sold 185 million units.
Most games see their sales slow to a crawl years after release, but Minecraft has added an extra 100 million to its total over the last three years or so. The last time Mojang confirmed official figures was in April 2021, when it said more than 238 million copies had been sold.
The announcement was made at a Minecraft Live event that revealed news and updates related to the game. It included voting on which new creature should be introduced – a crab, armadillo, or penguin – and confirmation of new features, such as a trial chamber with traps and mobs. We also heard that a new Star Wars: Path of the Jedi DLC, complete with lightsaber combat and Force powers, is coming to the in-game Marketplace on November 7. There's also a Planet Earth DLC next year that ties in with the BBC documentary series.
"As we mark our 15th year, we at Minecraft want to express our gratitude to our passionate Minecraft community. It is our community's creativity and dedication that has helped shape this world into something extraordinary," said Kayleen Walters, head of franchise development at Mojang Studios. "As we kick off this milestone year, we eagerly look forward to honoring and celebrating your contributions, stories, and adventures. Thank you for 15 amazing years of crafting, building, and exploring together. Stay tuned for more updates and surprises in 2024!"
Original Minecraft developer Markus Persson, aka Notch, made the game available to the public in 2009, hence its 15th birthday next year, but Mojang only moved it out of beta and released the full version on 18 November 2011. On December 1, 2011, Jens "Jeb" Bergensten took full creative control over Minecraft, replacing Notch as lead designer. It wasn't until September 2014 that Microsoft announced it would be acquiring Mojang for $2.5 billion, which now seems like a pretty good deal.
With so much new content and upgrades, expect to see Minecraft's sales continue to swell in the coming years. One has to wonder if it will ever be knocked off the top spot.