Minecraft Statistics

You probably know at least one person—child or adult—who loves to play Minecraft, which is a super fun sandbox game that has been around for several years. It was released in 2011, and has steadily grown in popularity and use since then. But what you might not know is just how many people play this game all over the world, using their creativity to win. And you may also be surprised by just how much money the game generates each year.

To get to know Minecraft a bit better, including the impact that it has had on the video game world, continue reading. Below, you’ll find many interesting statistics about this game. 

Top Statistics

1. Microsoft bought Minecraft for $2.5 billion in 2014, and that move helped the video game reach even more people.1
2. Minecraft generated roughly $415 million in total revenue in 2020.1
3. Since it was released, game sales of Minecraft have totaled around $3 billion.3
4. The number of monthly active users has increased from one year to the next. For instance, in June 2016, it was 40 million. In March 2021, the number was 140 million.5
5. In addition to playing the game itself, people also enjoy watching Minecraft events on Twitch. In March 2021, 87.7 million hours of Minecraft content were viewed.8

Minecraft Remains Hugely Popular

Minecraft is a game that is enjoyed by people all over the world, and it has undoubtedly increased in popularity over the years since it was released. Here are some fascinating stats regarding how many people opt to play this game on a regular basis. 

• Around 71 million individuals had used any device to play Minecraft as of November 2020.1  
• Roughly 200 million copies of Minecraft were sold around the world as of May 2020, compared to 176 million copies sold as of May 2019.7
• Minecraft servers are found around the world. Roughly 36% of them are in the United States, while 20.7% of them are in the United Kingdom. Also, roughly 11.4% of them are in Germany. And 6.1% of them are in Russia while 4.4% of them are in France.2
• Minecraft revenue has fluctuated over the years. In 2012, it was $211 million, but in 2014, it dipped to $165 million. Then, in 2018, it hit $500 million.3
• Minecraft’s mobile revenue has also seen steady growth. In 2012, it was $21 million, and by 2018, it was $110 million.3  
• When it comes to sales numbers, 4 million sales of Minecraft were made in 2011, compared to 200 million in 2020, further indicating that this game has really grown in fame year after year.3  
• Minecraft is also a hot topic on YouTube, as it topped the list of most watched games on the platform in 2020, with 201 billion views.6 

The Many Ways That People Play Minecraft

There are a variety of ways that you can get Minecraft and play this video game if you or your children decide that you want to give it a try. For example, you can get it on a PC or on an Apple computer, as well as on devices that run Android or iOS operating systems. But if you prefer using a video game console to play your games, such as PlayStation or Xbox, those are options as well, as is Nintendo Switch. So you can get this must-have game on whatever device you prefer. Here are some stats surrounding the methods that are most commonly used to enjoy everything that Minecraft has to offer.  

• On Google Play, the app for Minecraft has been downloaded over 10 million times.1
• More than 5 million copies of Minecraft for Xbox One were sold around the world in 2020.1
• The majority of people who play Minecraft do so on the PS4.1 In January 2021, upwards of 68% of players were enjoying the game on PlayStation 4.2
• Up to 95% of those who earn trophies, and upwards of 94% of players who are new, use PlayStation 4 to play Minecraft.2
• The mobile version of Minecraft makes up around 30% of all of the revenue that this game generates.3

Who Is Playing Minecraft?

Although you might think of Minecraft as a game that is just for kids, the truth is that people of all ages can take advantage of this engaging game. Here are some interesting statistics regarding the people who love to play Minecraft.

• 24-year-old males are considered the average players of Minecraft.2
• Among boys between the ages of 6 and 8, roughly 68% of them play Minecraft.1
• A good portion of Minecraft players (36%) is from the United States.1 British boys also like Minecraft, though, with roughly 22% of them calling it their favorite game.2
• In Sweden, upwards of 24% of kids play Minecraft, with roughly 6% of them playing it weekly.2
• Among kids between the ages of 3 and 12, upwards of 54% of boys and 32% of girls like to play Minecraft.2
• Some parents – around 11% – use Minecraft as an opportunity to play with their kids.2
• Teachers don’t even mind when their students play Minecraft, and some use it as an educational tool. In fact, when surveyed, 98% of teachers stated that students learned problem solving by playing this game.4

Overall, Minecraft is a video game that has become available on a variety of platforms to give people of all ages the opportunity to play it whenever they want, wherever they are. Kids can learn some important skills by playing this game, and adults can use it to pass the time in a relaxed and creative way. And, as the revenue numbers show, more and more people are deciding to get and play this game every year, so it’ll be interesting to see just how far it will ultimately go.