Notes

Minecraft shouldn't ever Feel Clingy, Mojang Says



Minecraft shouldn't feel clingy, Mojang says

Mojang is paying attention to the other survival games doing well.



Mojang asked me what the future of Minecraft looked like just before the latest Minecraft 1.19 (opens new tab) update was released. Agnes Larsson, game director and Nir "Ulraf"Ulraf Vaknin, developer, weren't willing be feature-specific about the next major update. It's not a surprise that they're planning to save that for the next Minecraft Live showcase. Instead, we talked about how they're still learning from other competitors in the field of crafting and how they intend to "keep the fun and excitement of Minecraft" for another 10 years.



Minecraft's alpha launch in 2010 put survival and crafting on the map. Other crafting games include a thousand later-on, many of which were also based on voxels-Mine remains the gold standard for sandbox creativity. Mojang could easily become complacent after having worn the crown for so long, I imagine. It could then be easy to become insular and source ideas only from its own players and developers.



Larsson and Vaknin both said they would not declare Minecraft superior to the rest. (I would, though. It's not a risk to sound boastful coming from me). However, they do state that knowing what sets Minecraft apart is what allows them to maintain it.



Larsson described it as intrinsic motivation. "We must inspire and allow players to be imaginative in their own way," she said, "but never dictate, and never force anything."



Vaknin agreed with the assertion that Minecraft's success lies in the fact that it requires players to be self-motivated "A lot a games are diverging from that, because a lot of players are looking for more direction and that's fine."



I've played all sorts of crafting games for survival throughout the years. I was recently attracted to Valheim's Viking crafting that I played for a few months. I also loved session-based survival in Icarus and V Rising for vampire crafting for a few days. Even Valheim that I was consumed by for over 100 hours and helped lobby for as our game of the year (opens in a new tab) in 2021 I haven't been able to keep returning the way Minecraft has.



Vaknin said that he's kept up with the competition too. He was also interested in how hunger and food in Valheim work. It made me consider food as an element of my equipment, whereas I felt allowed to not have food systems, or treat all food items as equal in other crafting games, including Minecraft. He adds, "I spend time thinking about that and trying to figure out if there are lessons to be learned from it."



Vaknin said that V Rising has a very unique goal and boss tracking system. He also mentioned the need to find bosses on the map in order to find them. "It reminded me of the way you can find the End stronghold in Minecraft through the eyes of the ender."



Vaknin hopes Minecraft will not chase its users even if it learns from Minecraft.



"Minecraft is really not clingy," is how he put it later in our conversation, likening it to a friend who will be there for you even when you decide to leave and return months later.



Vaknin spoke about a common occurrence within the Minecraft community: playing a lot for a long time and then returning to it on a regular basis when the mood strikes. It's a way I have employed for years and one that Mojang is at ease with.



"So many games that you play can draw you into a tad too hard and then you don't want to let it end. I am awestruck that Minecraft does not do that. It is so important to me that this is maintained."



"One thing that was recently added to our guiding principles is that you play Minecraft because you want to not because you feel pressured to," Larsson added.



As I prepare for Minecraft version 1.20 I am glad to know that those in control are confident enough to stay up to date with all the latest crafting and survival trends without having to follow them.

SZV7
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