At present, many service-based games have changed from a fee-based system to a free-to-play system, and they have received very good results. But now it seems that at least "Minecraft" will not be.

In a recent interview with IGN, developer Mojang made it clear that it will continue to adhere to the "pay for it forever" business model, which means that the classic sandbox building game will not be free-to-play.

Ingela Garneij, the original executive producer of Minecraft, explains: "It's true that this is fundamentally at odds with our underlying architecture. We build games with very different intentions, and traditional monetization paths don't work here. Players can always own all content with a single purchase, ensuring that the game is accessible to the widest possible audience – and that's exactly what we stand for: accessibility for all. It's arguably the most sincere deal in the history of video games. "

Looking at the development of the industry, from Overwatch 2's transformation to free-to-play, to Destiny 0's miraculous season pass, to Microsoft's Halo Infinite multiplayer mode testing the waters of the free-to-play system (although the results have been mixed), the change in the paid model has become an inevitable trend. Publishers and developers are under pressure to continue to innovate in monetization models, but Ganeyi and the Mojang team are clearly immune: "There is no pressure. The only thing we care about is for more people to continue to enjoy the game – and the current numbers prove that this model is still going strong. "

Agnes Larsson, original game director of Minecraft, further explained: "The pay-to-play model is part of the game's ethos and forms an important dimension of Minecraft's cultural identity. All members of the team have reached a high degree of consensus on this, and it is this perseverance that provides long-lasting vitality. "

Mojang is committed to providing free content updates on an ongoing basis. Given that Minecraft 2 has no development plans yet, players don't need to worry about paying twice for a sequel. Of course, if you want to play seamlessly across all platforms, it's worth buying the multi-platform version.