Why Minecraft Became a Snowballing Money Machine

Minecraft is one of the most successful video games ever created and at first glance it might leave you scratching your head, especially after you learn that Microsoft bought for $2.5 billion a few years ago.

Yes, that is correct. The video game empire sold for two-and-a-half BILLION dollars.

When you look at the game you will see that the graphics are very simple. They are so simple in fact that it is almost comical. These days with technology, it seems that most video game creators try to make life-like graphics and blow the user away with special effects.

Not Minecraft. It’s so simple, yet so incredibly popular. So, why is that? It boils down to a few reasons, which I have highlighted below.

No Rules

A lot of video games have complex rules and they require a lot of strategy to execute. There is also very little freedom. You have to complete special missions or challenges in a specific order traditionally.

With Minecraft there isn’t a set of rules in place that a player must follow. It allows total freedom and that is what the players really became drawn to. It was so simple, yet so different from what was dominating the video game industry at the time.

Encourages Creativity

Now, Minecraft would never have taken off in terms of sales if the parents weren’t behind it. Kids can love something but they aren’t usually the ones pulling out their wallet to make a purchase. Parents were into the fact that the game encourages creativity.

If a kid is going to play video games do you want them playing some violent game or something that will keep them thinking and using their imagination? Because the game caused its players to be creative the parents were supportive and were happy to buy it for their children.

Simplicity Wins

For such a simple game in terms of design and concept, it truly delivers a great experience. You also don’t have a lot of hard costs once you buy the game.

A player can purchase the game and then the cost to continue to enjoy the fun is minimal. There are some costs, like a Minecraft server, but that is just a few dollars a month. Then, if you have a monthly online gaming subscription that adds to it, but aside from that a parent can make a small investment and provide their child with something that will entertain and get the imagination running.

Allows Minds to Wander and Explore

Children need to be able to think without boundaries or borders and Minecraft supports and encourages that. There is so much exploration in the game and there are no roads or paths to the end.

The player is in complete control over everything. They are in the driver’s seat and their creativity and mind dictates how everything plays out.

From an entertainment standpoint the kids love it and the sales dictate that. From an educational standpoint the parents like it, and again, the sales dictate this as well.

Minecraft made a huge impact and its creator became a billionaire after creating something so simple, yet so popular. You don’t have to have all of the fancy bells and whistles. You just have to make a great product, and Minecraft is a great example of this theory.