The beginning of Minecraft – A detailed look into the Minecraft history
In 2009, a Swedish programmer Markus ‘Notch’ Persson created a sandbox game called Minecraft, the game was originally called Cave game. Notch was working on another sandbox gaming project called MMO Wurm Online, when he got the idea to build a different sandbox game in which a player can create different things by using natural resources. Minecraft was the side-project of Notch and he started working on the game in his spare time.
Notch was inspired by another game called Infiniminer to create Minecraft. The game was created by Zachtronics Industries in which players cooperate with each other to create tunnels through the earth to find different minerals. The idea of mining in the game attracted Notch to create a new game where a player can mine natural resources and build different things from those resources.
Notch also gathered ideas from other games including Dwarf Fortress and Dungeon Keeper while creating Minecraft, but overall the game was way different than other online games where a player not only can create structures but they also need to gather resources to build their structures. Notch also introduced adventure in the game by adding a survival mode where players have to survive hostile mobs.
Minecraft is celebrating its 11th birthday in 2020. The game started with only 32 blocks and became a worldwide sensation. It is the best-selling game of all time with over 100 million active players per month. We will review the complete history of the game in detail.
Simplicity is the key
Notch wanted to build an extremely simple game which gives players freedom to build anything they want. Simplicity is the beauty of Minecraft where you only have to launch the game and you can explore a whole new world. Minecraft provides you incredibly simple and full of adventure gameplay, even many modern games cannot give you that feeling.
Most of the modern games are either very hard to play and contain a lot of mechanics which make them more difficult or they are very simple and lose the charm of the game. The unique thing about Minecraft is that the game doesn’t have any sequel and we haven’t seen any bigger update, but it is still perfect, even after eleven years.
2009- Unique idea revolutionized the gaming industry
The first version of Minecraft was released back in May 2009. Notch posted the pre-alpha version of the game on TIG-Source forums for a public opinion. He received very positive feedback for the pre-alpha version of the game. This version was named as the Minecraft Classic, and it became the origin of a billion dollar brand.
After getting positive feedback from the gamers around the world, Notch added a multiplayer mode in the game which provided players more freedom. He also increased more block types to the game. The very first official version of Minecraft was 0.0.9. After the first version, new types of blocks were consistently added in the game.
Later on more items were also added in the game including Sand, Lava, and Tree. After Indev and Infdev versions, Notch introduced the Pre-alpha version of the game in late 2009. The new version had more complex objects as compared to the previous versions such as Ladder, doors, and signs. Notch made the cave system more complicated and also introduced Dungeons and Spawners in the game.
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Learn more about how to make a minecraft skin with our free online guide.
Minecraft Historic Version Information
Alpha Version
After the success of Pre-alpha version, paid version of the Alpha version was available for PCs in late 2009, but it was not released officially in 2009. Within a month, they sold more than one thousand copies and there were more than 20000 registered players. It was a great motivation for Notch and he decided to dedicate more time to the development of the game.
Survival mode was also introduced in the Alpha version where a player had to mine to gather different resources to survive the enemy attack. The survival mode became very dangerous at night, but the daytime was also increased as compared to the night time. Players had maximum time to gather resources and build shelter.
“The Nether” was also introduced in the alpha version which was a hell like area of the game. Notch also added a series of islands called “The End” in the same version. The Survival mode gained so much popularity among the players around the world, because it was a unique idea for players to gather resources to build shelters and defend themselves against the enemy attack.
2010- Beta Version
The Beta version of the game was officially released in December 2010. It was the fifth development stage of the game. By the time when the Beta version was released, Mojang showed interest in the development of the game and decided to provide the financial support Notch for the game development. Notch also quit his job and dedicated his full time to the game.
Beta version had a long list of updates and earned great success. Although the game was in the early development stage, it had a huge impact in the gaming industry in a very short time. A renowned gaming magazine “PC Gamer” named Minecraft Beta as the game of the year. This version of Minecraft was very suitable for modding, PC players were able to modify the game according to their requirement.
Notch designed a new Minecraft logo and launcher for the Beta version of the game. An attractive animated background was used for the main Menu. Weather effects were also introduced in the beta version of the game. Notch added the Achievements and statistics section in the main menu, and also improved the graphical effects of the game.
New mobs were also introduced in the Beta version including Endermen, Silverfish, Squid and Cave spiders. Notch also added creative mode in the beta version, which provided players more freedom to build. In the creative mode, Notch added new block types including power rails, TNT, Redstone and Sandstone. He also added food elements such as Melons and Pumpkins.
2011- Minecraft Version 1.0.0
The last update for the Beta edition which is also known as the Adventure Update, provided base for the creation of version 1.0.0. In November 2011, Notch introduced the version 1.0 of the game under the production of Mojang. This version was initially released with the title Beta 1.9, but after the development Mojang decided to release it as Minecraft 1.0.0.
Mojang introduced many new blocks in the following update including Cauldrons, Dragon eggs, End Stone, Mycelium, Nether Bricks and many more. Notch also added a new set of animals in Minecraft version 1.0.0 including Baby Chickens, baby cows and baby sheep. They brought in many new world types such as Frozen Ocean, Ice Mountains, and Mushroom Island.
The vital change in the version 1.0.0 was the addition of hardcore mode. In the hardcore mode, Notch removed the re-spawn upon death option for players and also increased the difficulty level of the survival mode. This new mode put a huge impact on the popularity of the game and Minecraft reached more than ten million registered players. Just a month later, Mojang released another version 1.1. Find out more about the different Minecraft server types that you can work with.
Minecraft Mobile Version History
After the huge success of the PC version of the game, Mojang decided to build the mobile version of Minecraft. They started working on the mobile version of the game. Mojang initially released a mobile version of the game exclusively for the Xperia in August 2011. It was named as Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE) and later the name was replaced with Bedrock Edition.
Just two months later in October, the Pocket Edition was also available for the Android phones and iOS. Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE) provides player freedom to play the game on the go. The PE version was similar to the PC version with addition of touchscreen controller and also offered many new blocks types, items and mobs for the players.
2012- Minecraft reached other gaming platforms
Minecraft was made compatible with the Microsoft products. The Xbox 360 version of the game was released in May 2012. It was designed by 4J studios with the collaboration of Microsoft studio and Mojang. The Xbox 360 version broke all the previous sales records by selling more than half a million copies in less than 24 hour of its launch.
As compared to the computer version of the game, the Xbox version offered a newly designed control interface and crafting system. The Xbox 360 version also had built-in game tutorials, and its split-screen feature allowed players to enjoy Minecraft with friends via multiplayer mode in Xbox Live. This new version brought the game to the whole new type of players.
For a list of a large percentage of the Official Minecraft download versions please see below:
2013- Minecraft was launched for PlayStation
In late 2013, Mojang Studios released the Minecraft version for PlayStation 3. The version was developed by 4J Studios with the collaboration of Mojang studios. One year later, Mojang studios released a new Minecraft legacy console edition for the PlayStation 4. Just three years, Minecraft has achieved tremendous success in the gaming world. It was available for all types of gaming platforms including, PC, Mobile, Xbox, PlayStation.
In 2013, Mojang brought the biggest changes to Minecraft by releasing different updates. One of the major updates was the Redstone Update (1.5) which introduced an improved Redstone system. The Redstone update also allowed players to set up Minecraft servers. In July 2013, another update was released by Mojang, called the Horse Update (1.6). In October 2013, a new update (1.7) was launched, which added 31 new types of biomes to the game and also introduced different resources to colonize the biomes.
2014- Microsoft bought the Mojang Studios
Growing popularity and huge enthusiastic cult following of Minecraft attracted Microsoft and they decided to buy Mojang studios. The deal was done in November 2014, and Microsoft bought Minecraft from Markus Notch Person for $2.5 billion. This new transition of the ownership created a great concern among Minecraft users.
Many players were worried that Microsoft would destroy the essence of the game, but Microsoft not only kept its original feel, but also added cross-platform capability for players to enjoy Minecraft with friends. Microsoft is the reason behind the growing popularity of the game. In 2014, Microsoft released the Bountiful Update (1.8) which added the spectator mode in the game. The update also added new blocks commands for players. Our Minecraft blog is updated with more information about the latest changes within the Mojang studios each week.
2015- Minecraft Story-mode was introduced
One of the most interactive Minecraft additions in 2015 was the release of Minecraft: Story-mode. It was created and published by Telltale Games in association with Mojang. Minecraft Story-mode brought a great attraction to the sandbox game by a series of episodic games. The game was available for all gaming platforms including Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, iOS, and Android.
Minecraft Story-mode gained so much popularity, and players around the world loved the story-based video game. In the graphic adventure, players were able to solve problems, collect different items and decide what to do next in the game. The decision made by players not only affects the running episode but also puts impact on next episodes.
2016- Release of Minecraft Education Edition
In 2016, Mojang released a new version of the game called Minecraft Education Edition. This version was especially designed for students and educators. Minecraft Education Edition introduced fun and interactive features for students to learn new things. This version of the game was developed to focus only on building and exploring new things.
Minecraft Education Edition has plenty of unique features which can be used to teach different curriculum subjects including History, Architecture, Computer programming, Geography, Science and Mathematics. Many schools and educational institutions have adopted this version to teach students important skills such as critical thinking, team-work, creativity, and problem-solving.
2016 was also important for the other versions of the game. Mojang released three big updates in 2016 including, the Combat Update (1.9), the Frostburn Update (1.10), and the Exploration Update (1.11). These updates modified the combat system of the game, and introduced new villager’s professions, new biomes and new mobs. Minecraft reached a record 100 million active users across different platforms in 2016, which was a great achievement. Find out more about the Official Education page here: https://education.minecraft.net/
Important updates of 2017 & 2018
There was some speculation in 2017 that Mojang Studios was going to discontinue the Java Edition of the game, but in June 2017, Mojang released another update for the Java Edition which was named as the World of Color Update. This update brought new life into the dull blocky structures by introducing bright colors for all types of blocks.
Mojang’s new update made the dyes more vibrant and also added new colors for different items including banners, boxes, wools, etc. This new update added some new blocks to the game including, Glazed Terracotta and Concrete Powder blocks. Colorful Parrot and recipe books were also introduced in the same update.
In 2018, Mojang released a major update for all versions of Minecraft. The update was named as the Update Aquatic and it was designed for the rehabilitation of oceans in the game. The update aquatic added many new sea creatures, blocks, items and structures associated with oceans. The Official resource for the Java Edition
2019- Release of Minecraft Earth
In 2019, Minecraft celebrated 10 years of success by releasing a new video game called Minecraft Earth. The game was designed by Mojang Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. Just like Minecraft, you can also gather resources, craft items and build structures in Minecraft Earth. It is an augmented reality (AR) version of the game and features a great combination of Minecraft world with our real world. The game allows you to work in teams with your friends to build different structures.
2020 – Release of Minecraft Dungeons
In May 2020, a new video game was released by Mojang Studios called Minecraft Dungeons. It is a spin-off of Minecraft. The game was developed by Double Eleven with the collaboration of Mojang Studios and it was officially published by the Xbox Game Studios. Minecraft Dungeons is also available for different gaming platforms including Xbox one, Windows, PlayStation 4 and MacOS.
In Minecraft Dungeons doesn’t offer an open world to explore and players don’t have to mine or build anything. The game features different auto generated dungeons with random monsters and treasures. Players have to explore the dungeons, fight the random monsters and solve different puzzles and traps to find the hidden treasures. The game also provides different types of weapons and armor for Players during the game. Other releases will be published on the official Emerald World Postman page.
Final Thought
The most interesting thing about Minecraft is that the game has simplest graphics and more updates than any other game in the last 11 years, which is why even after eleven years, players are still enjoying the game, and over time, its popularity is growing. Although the game doesn’t have any sequel, it has changed exceptionally over the last eleven years. Microsoft is persistently working for the improvement of the game to make sure that players get the fun and challenging gaming experience.
Why not take a look at the lastest Official Minecraft Live Video below: