Have you thought about purchasing Minecraft, or have you bought it and wondered why Minecraft is so expensive?
I’ve been looking into the top 11 reasons why Minecraft is expensive and have found several interesting reasons, so keep on reading to learn why this game costs so much!
Why Is Minecraft So Expensive?
Minecraft is so expensive because it’s a trendy game with a huge fan base that continues to grow, and higher demand means higher prices. It’s a never-ending sandbox game, so you’re getting a good value for the price. However, the game has continued to expand, and all of these additions raise the price.
Do you want to know other reasons why Minecraft is so expensive? If so, continue reading below because I’ll share all of the significant factors that can determine the price!
1. It’s Incredibly Popular
Minecraft is so expensive because it’s incredibly popular, which allows the owner (Microsoft) to charge more money for the game since it knows people will pay the price!
However, when Minecraft first came out, it was free to play, but bugs still needed to be worked out, and the company wanted to build a customer base for the game.
Therefore, once enough people had downloaded and played it and became a hit, Minecraft shifted to a pay model because it had enticed enough people, and people were willing to pay.
2. It’s A Never-Ending World
Minecraft is so expensive because it’s a never-ending world, which means for just the price of the game, you can play for years and never run out of things to do!
To illustrate, with many games, you could be paying $60 but only get 8 hours of gameplay, but with Minecraft, you pay the price of the game and have unlimited time for gameplay.
3. Minecraft Has Add-Ons
You may think Minecraft is expensive, but one reason for the cost of the game is that there are so many add-ons you can add to your Minecraft world, and you’re paying for these add-ons.
4. Minecraft Has Added More Modes
Did you know Minecraft games of the present day are different from the original Minecraft? Essentially, this means Minecraft has added modes such as survival mode into the game.
Therefore, you’re paying for these additions to the game since it takes research and development to add these new modes into Minecraft.
5. You’re Paying For The Additional Game Features
Minecraft has added more game features over the years, with new additions such as the ability to craft weapons, build various items, and even the ability to defend yourself against attackers.
Furthermore, the more game features that come to Minecraft, the more money the game will cost since it’ll cost more money to keep these features working properly.
6. Nintendo Switch Version Is More Complex To Manufacture
If you’ve been wondering why Minecraft is so expensive, you might want to think about whether you’re purchasing the Nintendo Switch version of the game.
For example, the Nintendo Switch version of the game is more complex to manufacture, leading to a higher price for this version of the game than the PC version.
7. To Stay Competitive
Minecraft might seem expensive, but it’s comparable to other games, and Minecraft has to raise prices to stay competitive with these other games.
Also, if a game that offers the same benefits as Minecraft increases its price, it only makes sense that Minecraft would go up in price in a similar fashion.
8. It Continues To Expand
Minecraft has added many new features and abilities since it first came out, and the game is continuing to evolve and expand, which is why the game’s price rises slightly on occasion.
Furthermore, as more components are added to the game and expands, the price will have to go up to accommodate the additional features.
9. Research & Development Of Expansions
As the game continues to expand, it takes a lot of research and development to create the additional content, which you pay for in the game’s price, and it’s why it’s expensive.
For example, it can take months for the game creators to test out survival mode or the ability to play with or against other players, and when you factor in the time it takes, it makes sense.
10. International Prices Need To Line Up With American Prices
If you live outside of the United States, you may have noticed Minecraft will cost you more money than it used to.
That said, this is just to keep international prices in line with the American prices.
To illustrate, the price in Australia went up in 2016 from AU$25 to AU$35, but the price increase made it similar to the American price of $27.
11. It’s Addicting
Since Minecraft is a sandbox game and it never ends, people find it addicting to continue playing, and because there is no endpoint, you can play for hours without realizing it.
That said, the game was developed to be addictive and keep the controller in your hands without a clear point to put it down.
Further, the addictive nature increases the game’s price since the developers know that you’ll be playing it for hours and will likely spend money to purchase in-game content as needed.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why Sims is so expensive, why World of Warcraft is so expensive, and why Pokemon Platinum is so expensive.
Conclusion
Minecraft is so expensive because it’s a game that has evolved since it first came out, and it takes a lot of time and money for research and development for the additional content.
Furthermore, the game has become an iconic game that has increased significantly in popularity, so the developers know people will pay the price just to play the game.
On top of that, the game outside of America has increased in price over the years to keep in line with the game’s price in the United States.