Skip to main content

Minecraft update removes the name of its creator, Notch

Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition

Minecraft creator Markus “Notch” Persson hasn’t been involved in the game’s development for several years, with studio Mojang being acquired by Microsoft and left to update and add to the game on its own. If you start up Minecraft today, however, you might not even realize that someone named Notch was ever involved with the game at all.

According to Kotaku, the mentions of Persson previously viewable at the beginning of the game is no longer there, though he is still listed in the game’s credits.

The official Minecraft Twitter account has not mentioned the change in its tweets, with Mojang apparently choosing to remove mention of the controversial figure in a quiet manner.

Notch posted several tweets directed at the change but didn’t appear to be overly bothered by it, telling one fan that “there’s beauty” in what happened.

What a day!!

— notch (@notch) March 28, 2019

He also criticized the state of Minecraft in 2019 and said that the game belonged to the players rather than its developers.

Persson has come under fire for controversial statements he’s made several times over the last few years. These included the message,  “It’s okay to be white,” a slogan commonly used by those on the alt-right that is widely regarded as racist. He also tweeted his support for “Heterosexual Pride Day,” a reactionary and hypothetical holiday meant to diminish the importance of the LGBTQ community.

These controversies do very little to change Persson’s standard of living or career aspirations. When Mojang was sold to Microsoft back in 2014, he became a billionaire.

In the years since, Minecraft has continued to receive substantial content updates, including a move to a new engine that allows several different platforms to connect together. Minecraft was among the first games to support cross-play on Xbox One and Switch, though PlayStation 4 is currently left out of the fun.

Minecraft also received its own spinoff game, Minecraft: Story Mode, produced by the now-defunct Telltale Games. Unlike the creation-focused gameplay of the original game, it’s a narrative-focused adventure focused on character development. Alongside traditional game platforms, it’s also available as an interactive television show on Netflix and stars voice talent like Patton Oswalt and Sean Astin.

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
The complete list of Minecraft Dungeons weapon and armor types and locations
minecraft dungeons all weapon armor types locations bow

Minecraft Dungeons uses a pretty different combat system from the classic Minecraft. You won’t be gathering materials to craft a diamond sword yourself, but you’ll be fending off creepers, zombies, and geomancers with far more than just a blade.

Weapons and armor drop randomly from mobs and the blacksmith, with certain types exclusive to specific levels and difficulties. Here are all the Minecraft Dungeons weapon and armor types available in the game and where you’re most likely to find them on your travels, including new ones added in the DLC.

Read more
What is Minecraft?
ben wheatley minecraft free fire

Trying to define Minecraft is difficult. From its early days of simple mining and crafting, so much more has been added that at times it can feel like a completely different game. In essence, Minecraft is still an action-adventure sandbox title, offering players a limitless world they can explore to their heart's content.

It offers an array of different modes, perfect for almost any type of gamer. Are you more of a creative person? You'll likely enjoy the endless playground it has to offer, allowing you to build anything you can imagine. Or perhaps you're looking for more of a challenge. You can try to last in its survival mode, as you battle against the creatures of the night.

Read more
Ubisoft confirms Assassin’s Creed remakes are in the works
Basim perched on a ledge overlooking Baghdad

In a company interview with CEO Yves Guillemot posted on the Ubisoft website Thursday, the executive reveals that there are remakes of Assassin's Creed games in the works, although he doesn't specify which ones.

"Players can be excited about some remakes, which will allow us to revisit some of the games we've created in the past and modernize them," he says, implying that it could pertain to games made before Odyssey. "There are worlds in some of our older Assassin's Creed games that are still extremely rich."

Read more