Mojang Says 'No' to Brands Using Minecraft to Sell Products

Blocking companies from using blocks.

By Wesley Copeland

Mojang has updated its Commercial Usage Guidelines in a bid to stop companies from using Minecraft to sell a product.

In a post on the Mojang website, the Minecraft maker breaks down what brands can and can’t do moving forwards. Specifically, companies can no longer create a Minecraft mod or server which is designed to sell a product. The example Mojang gives is of a restaurant chain making a Minecraft version of their building, then using that image to help sell the chain’s food. ‘Brand synergy’ and all that.

Likewise, building a map or mod to market a TV show or movie is a no go area. From the Mojang post: “if you’re a movie studio, you can’t make a map that uses Minecraft blocks to build out the fictional world of the movie or its characters, and you can’t make an official movie trailer out of gameplay footage from that map or mod.”

Mojang is quick to point out if you’re a fan, you’re still free to create what ever you want. It’s only when money becomes involved, or when a company contacts a major Minecraft player looking for promotion, that there’s an issue.

“The new rules only apply to companies or organisations that are using Minecraft to sell their products or promote their causes.”

The changes in Minecraft’s Commercial Usage Guidelines come down to one single factor: It’s not fun.

“We want to empower our community to make money from their creativity,” reads the post, “but we’re not happy when the selling of an unrelated product becomes the purpose of a Minecraft mod or server.

“That doesn’t feel right, or more importantly, fun. The new rules are an attempt to stop these things from happening.”

The news comes ahead of June’s free Battle Mode update, which brings a Hunger Games-style of gameplay to the console editions of Minecraft. For all the latest news on the block, and even more horrible puns, stay tuned to IGN.

Wesley Copeland is a freelance news writer who writes terrible bios. For more obvious statements and video game chat, you should probably follow him on Twitter.

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