Markus “Notch” Persson, the visionary mind behind the iconic Minecraft franchise, has recently tantalized his followers with the revelation of a potential spiritual successor to the game—a project informally referred to as Minecraft 2.
This comes as Minecraft continues its ascent to legendary status, poised to debut as a major motion picture in 2025, featuring Jason Momoa. The game, which has achieved monumental success as one of the highest-selling titles in history, has surpassed 300 million copies sold.
A Departure from Mojang
Notch’s involvement with Minecraft ceased in 2014 when he sold Mojang, his development studio, to Microsoft for a staggering $2.5 billion. Since then, the developer has remained largely detached from the game’s evolution.
However, his recent musings have reignited hope among fans.
Cryptic Teasers for a Successor
In a social media exchange, Persson unveiled glimpses of his latest endeavors, sparking widespread speculation. He outlined his current passion project—a hybrid of a traditional roguelike and a tile-based first-person dungeon crawler—and posed a provocative question to his audience: should he pursue this concept or create a spiritual successor to Minecraft?
Persson elaborated:
“The game I’m presently engrossed in blends elements of classic roguelikes (think ADOM or NetHack) with the immersive mechanics of tile-based first-person dungeon crawlers like Legend of Grimrock and Eye of the Beholder. But then I wondered—perhaps there’s an audience craving a spiritual successor to Minecraft, and, well, I’d gladly take that creative leap.”
While acknowledging the legal barriers to developing a direct sequel, Notch hinted at crafting a unique title that adheres to the spirit of Minecraft:
“Legally, creating a direct sequel would be impossible. But I could design an entirely original game in the same vein and christen it something entirely new. These are often dubbed ‘spiritual successors,’ though they sometimes fall flat. Yet, if this is what people truly desire, I’d be thrilled to embark on that journey.”
The Possibility of Reuniting with Microsoft
Notch also expressed openness to rejoining forces with Microsoft under the right conditions:
“If Microsoft ever approached me with an offer, and we reached a mutually agreeable arrangement, I’d absolutely consider it. I’d even be willing to grant them a larger share to make it abundantly clear my intentions are genuine. However, fair warning—I’d be a challenging collaborator.”
His candidness spurred a frenzy of online chatter, with fans dissecting every detail of his statements.
A Creator’s Commitment
Despite skepticism over whether his remarks were made in jest, Persson reassured followers of his sincerity:
“I essentially declared my intent to create ‘Minecraft 2.’ And as someone who values integrity, I plan to execute this in a manner that respects Mojang’s remarkable work and Microsoft’s stewardship of the franchise.”
The Uncertain Future of Minecraft 2
Whether Minecraft 2, in any form, will materialize remains an open question. Microsoft and Mojang have consistently focused on enriching the original game through updates and expansions, rather than developing a direct sequel.
For fans, a spiritual successor helmed by Notch could be the closest realization of a sequel they’ll experience. Since departing Minecraft’s development in 2014, Persson has largely remained under the radar, dabbling in smaller projects and prototypes.
This potential endeavor may serve as an experimental proving ground, testing whether the creator can replicate the groundbreaking success of his original masterpiece.
