Microsoft bans corporations from using Minecraft as a marketing tool

Minecraft is a huge deal for a generation of kids, and it is a great way to reach that young, crucial demographic. But marketers are no longer free to use the block-building game however they want to sell unrelated products.

Microsoft and developer Mojang, the owners of Minecraft, announced new policies today to cut down on corporations using the property to market their goods and services. In a blog post, Mojang spokesperson Owen Hill pointed to situations where something like a car company would build or commission an independent developer to build a Minecraft server with specific purpose of advertising a new vehicle. Minecraft has surpassed 70 million copies sold across console, PC, and mobile, and it is regularly one of the most popular brands among children in the $99.6 billion gaming business.