Minecraft: Java Edition will only work with a Microsoft account from March 10th

Starting March 10, Minecraft: Java Edition for Windows players will only be able to play if they sign in with a Microsoft account. That obligation was already announced in 2020 and the final date has now been announced.

At the moment it is still possible to play with a Mojang account, but from March 10 a Microsoft account is mandatory. The game’s creators say they are implementing a commitment to “make sure everyone plays with more secure accounts.”

At the end of 2020, Microsoft already announced that a Microsoft account would be mandatory for the Java version of Minecraft. Players could already switch in 2021, but that was not yet mandatory. It is not known how many active players have not yet switched. The Minecraft site has a faq with information about migrating accounts.

With a Microsoft account, players get the option to activate two-step verification and access parental control features. Minecraft was created by Mojang. That studio was acquired by Microsoft in 2014 for about two billion euros. The game had sold more than 200 million copies as of 2020. Late last year, Microsoft said the game has 141 million active players.