Mojang says Minecraft 2 isn't going to happen because it'd be like getting an "Earth 2," but the studio hopes the OG sandbox game stays relevant "at least 15 years more"

Minecraft key art showing Steve holding a pickaxe. — (Image credit: Mojang)

Well over a decade has passed since Mojang saw the release of its monumental sandbox game Minecraft, which has unsurprisingly spurred all sorts of speculation regarding a sequel – but according to the studio, Minecraft 2 simply isn't in the cards.

Speaking to IGN in a recent interview, executive producer Ingela Garneij reveals as much, joking that getting Minecraft 2 would be like getting "Earth 2" – the original is simply too unique and isn't something that can be recreated. "Do you think we're going to have an Earth 2?" asks the developer. "No, no, there's no Minecraft 2." Even though there's no sequel in the works, though, Mojang hopes that Minecraft stays relevant for years to come.

"We've existed for 15 years," explains Garneij, looking back at how Minecraft celebrated its 15th anniversary just last year. "We want to exist at least 15 years more so we actually, Agnes [Larsson, game director] and I, we work as a team. We set the vision and strategy for our game for what can we do beyond that." That doesn't mean that maintaining said vision for so long won't come without challenges, however, especially within the technical realm.

"I think the age of the game is a challenge," Garneij says, pointing to games' ever-evolving technology. "It's a 15-year-old platform, 15-year-old technology that slows us down in one sense. So other new games have new engines, and they can run really fast. So I would say the technology and our age [are our biggest challenges]." The producer's words make sense – after all, Minecraft is already well-acquainted with performance issues.

As a longtime fan myself, I personally look to Minecraft mods to try and stabilize my game, but I do hope Mojang's recent update shows that the studio is taking matters out of players' hands and placing them into developers' to improve the beloved game. I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed about there being no sequel, but Garneij is certainly right about one thing – you can't recreate something like Minecraft (or Earth, I guess).

Looking for something new to play? Here are some of the best games like Minecraft to try.

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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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