Even 17 years after its release, Mojang’s long-running hit continues to rack up massive numbers. Plus, the version for the Nintendo Switch 2 is just around the corner.
Every day, more than 300,000 people try Minecraft for the first time.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma revealed this in a social media post over the weekend. She explained that “Minecraft is still attracting new players”—despite having been on the market for 17 years and selling 425 million copies.
“Today at Minecraft Live: Dungeons 2, our first new dimension in more than 14 years, new building options for creators, Minecraft on the Nintendo Switch 2, and more,” she wrote.
Today at Minecraft LIVE: Dungeons II, our first new dimension in more than 14 years, new ways for creators to build, Minecraft on Nintendo Switch 2, and more.
More than 300,000 people play Minecraft for the first time on an average day. After 17+ years and 425M+ copies sold, I… pic.twitter.com/fdhkwuh258
— ASHA (@asha_shar) September 26, 2026
“On an average day, more than 300,000 people play Minecraft for the very first time. After more than 17 years and over 425 million copies sold, I just love that Minecraft continues to attract new players and offers longtime fans new things to discover.”
Minecraft on Switch 2: Release in October, Upgrade Likely to Cost Money
In case you missed it: The Switch 2 port of Minecraft was originally leaked back in June via an ESRB age rating. A few days later, Nintendo confirmed the title in a Direct broadcast but did not yet announce a release date. Just last month, the developers officially confirmed October 27 as the release date for the Switch 2 version.
Those who already own the game for the original Switch can upgrade to the Switch 2 version, but this upgrade will apparently not be free. This is now emerging as a clear pattern for Switch 2 games. Nintendo already requires a paid upgrade for titles such as Zelda, Kirby, and Metroid Prime 4. Square Enix, on the other hand, sometimes even forgoes such an upgrade option entirely.
Streamlining at Xbox: Satya Nadella Praises Cost-Cutting Measures Despite New Layoffs
Meanwhile, in a recent interview, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella praised the ongoing “streamlining” of Xbox under the leadership of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma—just a few days after another wave of layoffs hit the division.
