Minecraft
News, coverage and analysis tracking Minecraft across the outlets.
Latest coverage
ESA VP calls Minecraft Community Servers “illegal,” which is an impressively stupid thing to say in an industry full of impressively stupid things already
An Entertainment Software Association VP called Minecraft community servers "illegal," a statement widely criticized as inaccurate and damaging. While individual servers can violate EULAs, the concept of community servers is officially supported by Mojang and Microsoft. This statement occurred during a California Senate committee hearing opposing the Protect Our Games Act, which aims to ensure players retain access to games after services shut down.
ESA bafflingly declares private Minecraft servers 'illegal' in Stop Killing Games hearing: 'We consider…
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) declared private servers for games like Minecraft and Call of Duty to be illegal and considered piracy during a California State Senate hearing. ESA vice president Jennifer Gibbons stated that these servers infringe on publisher intellectual property rights and do not meet safety standards, despite community pushback and the failure of the Protect Our Games Act to pass in its current form.
Minecraft servers are apparently "illegal," according to the Vice President of America's biggest gaming association
Jennifer Gibbons, Vice President of the Entertainment Software Association, stated that community-run Minecraft servers are "illegal" and akin to "piracy" during a California State Senate hearing. This statement contradicts Microsoft and Mojang's official promotion and support of community servers for the game. The hearing was regarding Assembly Bill 1921, which aims to protect players' access to server-dependent games.
Minecraft's new, free inventory-expanding backpack has been eating players' loot
A new free Herschel Backpack add-on for Minecraft, which offers 384 inventory slots, is reportedly causing players to lose their items. Some users have experienced their entire backpack contents vanishing after logging out and back in, even with the soul-bound upgrade. Mojang has acknowledged the bug, which remains unresolved.
Famitsu software sales (6/15/26 – 6/21/26) – Top 30
Famitsu has released its weekly Japanese software sales data for the period of June 15-21, 2026. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream for Nintendo Switch topped the charts with 34,957 units sold. The list includes sales figures for various titles across Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation 5.
You can put Minecraft's gorgeous new biome and building blocks to the test right now
Mojang has released Game Drop Three for Minecraft, introducing the new Dappled Forest biome and various building materials. Players can test the update now in the latest Bedrock preview and Java snapshot builds, featuring Poplar Wood, Wool Stairs and Slabs, and Shelf Mushrooms.
"Call of Duty is bigger than the Marvel Cinematic Universe": New Xbox CEO brags as more of its games turn to…
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma claims the Call of Duty franchise is larger than the Marvel Cinematic Universe, citing its success in video games and upcoming adaptations. While the MCU has grossed over $30 billion, Sharma believes Call of Duty's consistent sales and popular free-to-play titles give it broader cultural impact. Xbox is expanding its gaming IPs into film and TV, with projects based on Gears of War, Sea of Thieves, Minecraft, Fallout, and Wolfenstein in development.
Minecraft's new IRL backpack comes with a game-changing update to your inventory
Minecraft has partnered with Herschel Supply for a new line of backpacks, including a special in-game add-on available for free on the Minecraft Marketplace. This 'Herschel Backpack Trials Add-On' significantly expands player inventory with features like Auto Sort and Auto Restock, and can be upgraded to 288 total slots. The add-on is exclusive to Minecraft Bedrock edition.
"Classic Sonic" Joins Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds In A Free Update This Week
Sega has released a free update for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, adding "Classic Sonic" as a playable character to celebrate the blue blur's 35th birthday. The update also includes a new Sega Music Collection, with Axel and Amigo scheduled to join later in August and September respectively. This content follows the announcement of Season Pass 2, which will feature DLC packs based on Godzilla, Evangelion, Pac-Man, Minecraft, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Sea of Thieves is becoming a live-action movie, the Gears of War film apparently has a plot, and Microsoft's considering bringing the Halo TV show back
Microsoft is expanding its entertainment ventures beyond gaming, with a live-action Sea of Thieves movie in development and plot details emerging for the Gears of War film. The company is also considering reviving the Halo TV series. These projects highlight Microsoft's strategy to leverage its game franchises across various media platforms, even as the company faces potential restructuring and studio closures.
Tencent reportedly negotiating exits from various Japanese studios including Marvelous
Tencent is reportedly negotiating to sell its minority stakes in several Japanese game studios, including Marvelous, potentially at a loss. Investments in PlatinumGames, FromSoftware, and Kadokawa Corporation are unaffected. The company is shifting its focus towards user-generated content games and its existing portfolio teams.
Xbox boss declares Call Of Duty is bigger than Marvel and the MCU
Xbox boss Asha Sharma has claimed that the Call of Duty franchise is financially larger than the Marvel Cinematic Universe, citing revenue figures. While acknowledging Call of Duty's significant financial success, the article notes that the MCU has generated more cultural fervor and hype, particularly with recent trailer view counts. Sharma also highlighted the success of Xbox's video game adaptations like Fallout and Minecraft, and announced plans for a Sea of Thieves live-action movie.
Call of Duty is “Bigger Than The Marvel Cinematic Universe”, Claims Xbox CEO
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and CCO Matt Booty discussed the immense success and cultural impact of Xbox's franchises in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Sharma claimed Call of Duty is larger than the Marvel Cinematic Universe, while Booty detailed upcoming adaptations for Gears of War and the continued investment in Halo.
UK Charts: The Adventures Of Elliot Makes An Impressive Debut, But Can't Trouble The Podium
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales debuted at sixth place in the UK physical game charts, with the majority of sales on Nintendo Switch. EA Sports UFC 6 and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream also saw strong debuts, while EA SPORTS FC 26 and 007 First Light held the top three positions.
UK software sales chart for the week ending June 20, 2026 – The Adventures of Elliot debuts, Tomodachi Life back in the top 5
The latest UK software sales chart for the week ending June 20, 2026, shows The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales debuting at #6. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream climbed to #3, while EA Sports FC 26 remained at #2. The chart includes sales data for numerous titles across various publishers.
Nintendo reveals Japan’s best-selling digital games for May 2026
Nintendo has released the best-selling digital games for May 2026 on the Japanese Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch eShops. Pokemon Pokopia topped the charts for Switch 2, while Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream led sales on the original Switch. The data includes a variety of titles, with several Final Fantasy games appearing on the Switch 2 list.
After Years of Live-Service Chasing, Single-Player Games Are Winning Again
The article discusses the shift in the gaming industry from a strong focus on live-service games back towards single-player experiences. While live-service games can be highly lucrative, many publishers struggled to implement them successfully, leading to a resurgence in demand for complete, finished single-player titles. This trend is evident in recent showcases from Sony and Xbox, which highlight promising single-player games as key platform definers.
Mojang says that Minecraft Dungeons 2 has more overt "callbacks to vanilla Minecraft" than the last ARPG it…
Minecraft Dungeons 2 aims to strengthen its connection to the core Minecraft experience with more "callbacks" and an expanded item rarity system. Design director Laura de Llorens highlighted changes like an interconnected world, four rarity tiers (Common, Rare, Special, Unique), and a more robust character customization system with four armor slots. The game is set to release on September 29, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X.
The two best years in video game history were both in the 2010s - Reader's Feature
A reader argues that 2011 and 2013 were the best years in video game history, citing a high volume of quality releases and industry-shifting console launches. The article details numerous significant titles from both years, including The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Skyrim, The Last of Us, and Grand Theft Auto 5, alongside the debut of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Nintendo Switch eShop charts – June 20, 2026 – top 10 is looking very familiar
The Nintendo Switch eShop charts for the week of June 20, 2026, show a remarkably consistent top ten, with Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream retaining the number one spot. All positions within the top ten remained unchanged from the previous week, indicating strong sustained popularity for established titles.
