Minecraft Java Edition Moves to Microsoft

Fri Jul 16 2021

Microsoft bought Mojang in 2014, and although there have been various new Minecraft-associated game launches, including Storymode, the augmented reality Minecraft Earth, this year’s action adventure Dungeons, and its education products, Minecraft Java Edition has remained completely untouched. Until now that is.

In a blog announcement last month Mojang let players know that from early 2021 they’ll need to start migrating their old school Mojang and Minecraft accounts to sparkly new Microsoft accounts.

Naturally this is being framed as a benefit to all, introducing a single login for all PC versions of the game, which will then be linked to your Microsoft account. It will also mean:

  • Two factor authentication is available on all accounts making them more difficult to hack or otherwise takeover
  • More effective and detailed parental controls for younger players
  • The ability to block invitations and chat requests

Other than 2FA, none of those advances is what you might call a killer app, but to sweeten the deal, Mojang has confirmed that everyone who migrates their account will receive a free in-game cape the first time they login and play using their Microsoft ID. The developer also hinted that there may be other free stuff to go with that, but so far there’s been no official announcement.

The great migration will start early next year, with Mojang planning to send out batches of emails to users rather than trying to get everyone to make the switch at the same time. Then, at an as yet unspecified date in 2021, old accounts will finally be switched off and only Microsoft logins will work.

Other than that, Mojang has reassured players that it’s going to be Java Edition business as usual, with no further changes for either the modding or PVP communities.