To sweeten the transition, Minecraft will gift players their own cape. Microsoft made clear that everything else about the Java game will remain the same, including mods and skins, and dedicated Java versions of the game’s servers. If you don’t make the move, in several months you won’t be able to log in anymore-which means you won’t be able to play either,” Microsoft said. “Now just to be clear, migrating from Mojang to Microsoft accounts is mandatory. Account switching will be built into a new PC launcher. Each Mojang account will require their own Microsoft account, according to a Microsoft FAQ. Microsoft said it’s doing so to enable two-factor authentication for security reasons to connect multiple Mojang games, such as Minecraft and Minecraft Dungeons together and to allow parental controls and chat blocking. In a blog post, Microsoft says that the Java version of Minecraft will still retain its freedom, but will nevertheless require the millions of Java players to sign in with a Microsoft account. The transition will occur in 2021, though players signing up for the Java version of Microsoft will be required to enroll a Microsoft account beginning this fall. Now, the Java version of Minecraft is being brought under the Microsoft umbrella, too.
Meanwhile, the separate though related Bedrock version of the game-specifically designed for Xbox, Android, Windows 10 and more-has been more locked down, and already required a Microsoft account, too. To date, Minecraft is ranked as the most popular video game ever, with more than 200 million downloads. Mojang’s Minecraft has always lived parallel lives: The legacy Java edition has always been much more open, permitting modding and more unrestricted gameplay. Mojang said late Wednesday that the legacy, PC-centric Java version of Minecraft will now require a Microsoft account, a decision Microsoft says it’s making for security reasons and to ensure future compatibility.