Markus Persson, aka “Notch,” the creator of Minecraft prior to its sale to Microsoft, made waves recently by revealing that he is working on a new game. Taking to the social networking service X (formerly Twitter), he posted a poll for his followers to decide which of his projects he should pursue next. The poll offered two choices: one, a roguelike-themed game with dungeon labyrinth elements which he has been working on for quite some time now, and two, a Minecraft successor. The final outcome of the poll was highly one-sided, with the “Minecraft Successor” choice being the clear winner.
Many fans reacted to show enthusiasm for a sequel to the beloved game. In recognizing the community’s interest, Markus articulated that he could not merely duplicate the existing Minecraft. Rather, his objective is to develop something distinct, while still capturing the essence of Minecraft’s appeal. On X, Markus conveyed his perspective, stating, “I think people genuinely want me to develop a game similar to Minecraft.
I would be thrilled to work on it again.” Markus further underscored his dedication to fulfilling his promises, expressing his intention to engage with this new project in a manner that is respectful. He elucidated that his objective is not to diminish the remarkable contributions made by Mojang’s team or the governance of the franchise by Microsoft. Rather, he intends to establish his own creative trajectory while simultaneously honoring the heritage of the original game.
In a follow-up statement, Markus expressed his appreciation for how Mojang and Microsoft have handled the Minecraft franchise. “I respect them for doing that. It’s their responsibility now. From what I understand, they allow the studio to operate on its own terms, which I think is very fair,” he added.
If Markus were to follow through on his plans for a spiritual successor to Minecraft, it could quite well re-ignite the flame among fans and lay the bedrock for a title imbued with the pioneering spirit of its predecessor. Although this kind of project will be quite long in development, there does not appear to be any doubt that Notch coming back into game development is a promise sure to garner many excited murmurs among gamers.
This announcement raises an interesting question: will Minecraft 2 be launched before the highly anticipated GTA VI? Time alone will tell.
