Minecraft Goes Retail With Pre-Paid Cards

[Fanghawk]

Minecraft Goes Retail With Pre-Paid Cards

After 11 million purchases for PC and XBLA, Mojang's indie hit is ready for Walmart.

It doesn't take a statistics expert to realize that Minecraft is one of the biggest indie hits of this gaming generation. The game has done so well that its sheer success is measured in the millions, such as <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117251-Minecraft-Mines-a-Million-on-Xbox-Live>the million sales for the XBLA version's first week or <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109044-Minecraft-Sales-Figures-Reveal-33-Million-in-Diamonds>the millions Mojang now controls. With approximately 7 million sales for PC and 4 million sales for XBLA, there is really only one market left for Mojang's first game to capture: retail. This is about to change starting today, as US shoppers can now buy a PC copy of Minecraft for their very own at Best Buy, Target, and even Walmart.

Before the collector-minded among us rush to pick up a copy of their own, don't worry, the retail and digital copies will be identical. An in-store Minecraft purchase will provide you with a pre-paid card that unlocks the game from the Minecraft website. The card will cost $26.95, the same price as buying the game from Mojang's digital store, which could make it a perfect gift item as the holidays approach.

The cards will likely attract audiences who don't use digital marketplaces, which <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118250-Marketing-Research-Firm-Challenges-EAs-All-Digital-Future>is still a massive chunk of the videogame market. If Minecraft for XBLA continues to grow in popularity (spoiler alert, it probably will) then XBox Live cards will likely follow. From a business perspective this is a very good move, but personally I think I'll hold out for Minecraft Collector's Edition. One that comes with a recipe book, stackable blocks, and an exploding plush Creeper. Make it happen, Notch!

Source: Joystiq

Permalink

 

[TimeLord]

If Minecraft for XBLA continues to grow in popularity (spoiler alert, it probably will) then XBox Live cards will likely follow.

I'm confused. They already do XBL cards for Minecraft (at least in the UK). They have the MS points card of the right value and stick Minecraft branding all over it and basically say "Buy me to get Minecraft!".

 

[Bagged Milk]

If Minecraft for XBLA continues to grow in popularity (spoiler alert, it probably will) then XBox Live cards will likely follow.

I'm confused. They already do XBL cards for Minecraft (at least in the UK). They have the MS points card of the right value and stick Minecraft branding all over it and basically say "Buy me to get Minecraft!".

I think he means that the Xbox Live cards will grow in popularity as well.

OT: This is pretty cool! I've got a few friends who don't have it yet, and one of their birthdays are coming up.

 

[thesilentman]

If Minecraft for XBLA continues to grow in popularity (spoiler alert, it probably will) then XBox Live cards will likely follow.

I'm confused. They already do XBL cards for Minecraft (at least in the UK). They have the MS points card of the right value and stick Minecraft branding all over it and basically say "Buy me to get Minecraft!".

This is for the PC version.

OT- Now I can get people who are paranoid to hell about the dark corners of the Internet to try Minecraft. YOU ARE NOT SAFE, PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T TRIED MINECRAFT!

Only if it comes with all the Mods the PC version has.

Have fun telling them about META-INF...

 

[gardian06]

they already have a plushy creeper http://www.jinx.com/p/minecraft_creeper_plush_toy_with_sound.html?catid=&s=minecraft

If Minecraft for XBLA continues to grow in popularity (spoiler alert, it probably will) then XBox Live cards will likely follow.

I'm confused. They already do XBL cards for Minecraft (at least in the UK). They have the MS points card of the right value and stick Minecraft branding all over it and basically say "Buy me to get Minecraft!".

he is referring to the US where we don't really have "branded" XBLA cards.

 

[Frylock72]

It doesn't take a statistics expect to realize

Fanghawk, I think you mean 'expert' here.

 

[Lt. Rocky]

Good. I've been really hesitant to make an online purchase from a website I'm not familiar with that's never reported to me on having any sort of special security you'd get from college databases or other online stores, and since Minecraft's been a bit stubborn to make an appearance on Steam, I've been at a bit of a standstill with this.

Also, thirty bucks for an indie game? It doesn't matter if it's Minecraft or that it's sold so many copies, in fact, wouldn't that be a reason to have a lower price for it?

 

[Space Jawa]

I don't get why they don't just sell the retail version as a disk containing the game instead. If they're averse to using a digital marketplace, It doesn't seem like selling a card that point them to said digital marketplace (albeit a marketplace where the game is already paid for) is going to attract nearly as many new customers as a disk containing the game would.

 

[WanderingFool]

I don't get why they don't just sell the retail version as a disk containing the game instead. If they're averse to using a digital marketplace, It doesn't seem like selling a card that point them to said digital marketplace (albeit a marketplace where the game is already paid for) is going to attract nearly as many new customers as a disk containing the game would.

Some of them may, like me, not have a problem with digital download, but a problem using their credit card online. Had it stolen once (the thief didnt manage to get anything though), and Ive been paranoid of it happening again.

Wish they would have released this months ago, I could have bought this instead of the XBL version. But, fuck it. the XBLMC is still fun...

 

[Fanghawk]

It doesn't take a statistics expect to realize

Fanghawk, I think you mean 'expert' here.

Maybe I did, Frylock. Maybe I did.

Thanks!

 

[karloss01]

Why is this game still $27? Why do I then have to buy a Premium Account for an additional $20 if I want to do multiplayer? Why does Notch want me to pirate this game so much?

Not sure what you're on about, but I paid for the beta Minecraft and haven't needed to pay for anything else. just made an free account, bought the game and played it. Multiplayer for me has always been free.

 

[PirateRose]

It's a good idea to get these cards out. I've been getting a lot of kids lately asking if we have Minecraft & it breaks my heart to tell them it's not in stores. These kids have been saving up their money and parents don't want their credit info online.

 

[Zombie_Moogle]

Why is this game still $27? Why do I then have to buy a Premium Account for an additional $20 if I want to do multiplayer? Why does Notch want me to pirate this game so much?

Not sure what you're on about, but I paid for the beta Minecraft and haven't needed to pay for anything else. just made an free account, bought the game and played it. Multiplayer for me has always been free.

Huh, odd. Must be an XBL thing. Multiplayer is free on PC, save for paid servers, but that's up to the server host, not Notch

 

[Calcium]

Wait, wait, wait. It's sold 4 million on XBLA and 7 million on PC? I thought it was a lot more popular on PC than on Xbox, though maybe it's more like I was just underestimating how successful it's been on Xbox.