Minecraft continues to be a global phenomenon, attracting an average of over 300,000 new players every single day, according to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. This remarkable influx of new players comes 17 years after the game's initial release and after selling over 425 million copies worldwide.
Sharma shared these figures on Twitter/X over the weekend, expressing her continued enthusiasm for the game's sustained growth. "I love that Minecraft is still finding new players and giving longtime ones new things to discover," she stated. The game's enduring popularity was underscored during Minecraft Live, where several new developments were announced. These include Dungeons II, described as the first new dimension in over 14 years, alongside new tools for creators and confirmation of Minecraft's arrival on the Nintendo Switch 2.
The upcoming release on Nintendo Switch 2 was initially hinted at via an ESRB rating in June and later confirmed by Nintendo. While a specific release date was not provided at the time of the Direct showcase, the developer has since officially confirmed an October 27 release for the Switch 2 version. Existing owners of Minecraft on the original Switch will be able to upgrade to the Switch 2 version, though this upgrade path will be a paid one, a common practice for Switch 2 titles. This follows a trend seen with other Switch 2 upgrades, such as those for games like Zelda, Kirby, and Metroid Prime 4, with some publishers like Square Enix opting for complete re-releases instead of upgrade options.
These recent announcements and statistics come at a time when Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has publicly praised Xbox's ongoing efforts to streamline operations under Sharma's leadership, following recent layoffs within the division.