Minecraft 2? Original Creator Notch Plans Spiritual Successor

The gaming world just got some unexpected news from Markus “Notch” Persson. The original Minecraft creator recently posted a simple poll that turned into something much bigger – the potential birth of what many are calling “Minecraft 2,” though it won’t actually carry that name.

What Actually Happened

It started as a straightforward question on X (formerly Twitter). Notch asked fans to choose between two projects: his current work on a dungeon-crawler game or a spiritual successor to Minecraft.

The response was overwhelming – 77% of roughly 180,000 voters chose the Minecraft-style game, essentially pushing Notch toward creating something that could be the closest thing to Minecraft 2 we’ll ever see.

Is Minecraft 2 Really Happening?

Here’s where things get interesting. Notch can’t actually make an official Minecraft sequel. He sold everything Minecraft-related – the game, the company Mojang, and all rights – to Microsoft for $2.5 billion back in 2014. Instead, what he’s proposing is something that would capture the spirit of Minecraft while being legally distinct.

“No, it would be super illegal,” Notch explained about making an actual Minecraft 2. “Instead I’d make a new original game of the same type as ‘Minecraft’ and call it something else.”

The timing makes this announcement particularly noteworthy. Minecraft continues to dominate with over 300 million copies sold, and a movie starring Jason Momoa is set for 2025.

Notch seems aware of these challenges. He’s even open to working with Microsoft, offering them a larger share than necessary to prove his good intentions. “I’d absolutely be willing do to that. I’d even give them a much bigger share than I’d feel obliged to just to make it clear I’m not doing it with ill intent,” he stated.

Since leaving Minecraft’s development, Notch has only worked on smaller projects – a free Unity demo and some game-jam creations. This would mark his first major project in years, though he’s surprisingly candid about its uncertain future. “Honestly, I’m not even sure I’ll make it to release, based on having been me for all my life,” he admitted.

For now, there are no concrete details about what this spiritual successor might look like or how it would differentiate itself from Minecraft. Development would likely take years if it moves forward at all. Meanwhile, Microsoft and Mojang continue updating the original Minecraft, having never pursued their own sequel.

The real question isn’t whether Notch can recreate Minecraft’s success – that’s probably impossible. Instead, it’s whether he can create something new that captures what made people fall in love with Minecraft in the first place, while bringing fresh ideas to the table. Only time will tell if this project moves beyond a poll and some social media posts into something playable.