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Minecraft passes 425 million copies—and 300,000 people still start each day

2026.09.30 Global briefing

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Microsoft’s gaming chief said that after more than 17 years, Minecraft has passed 425 million copies sold and more than 300,000 people play it for the first time on an average day.

Neither figure is a count of active users. Sales can include multiple devices and editions, and the announcement did not explain the time window or deduplication method behind “first-time” players.

Where the numbers came from

Xbox president Asha Sharma published both figures after Minecraft Live on September 26. GamesRadar and GIGAZINE independently reported the same statement and event. No audited table or country- and platform-level breakdown accompanied it.

Why the scale is unusual

Mature games often depend mainly on retaining existing users. If measured consistently, the claim means a game more than 17 years old still adds roughly the population of a large city as first-time players each day. Continued cumulative sales and continued discovery make it a durable cultural phenomenon.

Minecraft passes 425 million copies—and 300,000 people still start each day — This AI-generated illustration explains the topic; it is not an actual game screenshot or official promotional image.

Do new releases explain the inflow

The official show announced the Sift, the first new dimension in more than 14 years, new ice caves and a Switch 2 release on October 27. Updates, film, education and creator communities may sustain attention, but Microsoft did not attribute the 300,000 figure to any one route.

What to check next

A comparable monthly series, separation of trials from purchases, person-versus-account deduplication and regional, age and platform splits would make the claim more useful. Repetition in later earnings or event materials would show whether this is a lasting trend.