Minecraft has to be considered alongside the all-time greatest games; revolutionizing the world of gaming, indie releases, and my patience when it comes to my dad talking about one game for three years. If anything, it is the only game we’ve both played that isn’t Burnout; and the only online play where I both want to stab the person and shake them to death, screaming: “Don’t fall in the lava ya dozy git!” It is a tumultuous time when I’m off in the deserts three miles from home to hear, “I’ve done it again,” or “Get out the road you pillock!” to a villager.

Usually, we’ll play together once a month, and that’s enough for us both (Well, me). Now monthly player bases of specific games is a question brought up a lot now; especially with live service games like Anthem in the mix, dropping off like pensioners in winter. It is also something brought up with Minecraft and its ilk recently, within the last year it was announced Roblox (a free Minecraft imitator) had matched and surpassed its progenitor. Now the game of King of the Hill has swayed once again.

The monthly numbers last October were pushing 91 million monthly, the number in December of 2017 were a mere 74 million; now Minecraft has taken back the blocky-oversized crown. Minecraft studio head, Helen Chiang, said in an interview with Business Insider that the monthly player base is now a massive 112 million monthly players. This is a confusingly large 20 million players for a game that turned ten this year. What’s provided this success?

Of course, we have to assume this is from across all platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Coleco Telstar, PC, The Virtual Boy, PC (again), iPhone, Android, VR (Not red vision of death), Nintendo Switch, and your mum’s favorite purple toy. That doesn’t even factor in the updates, content patches, or mods; albeit releasing slower than they did back in 2014, but having a bear masticate on your genitals after 6 months away is fun and interesting. The day the apocalypse comes I’ll be sitting there like Statler and Waldorf saying, “See, it has dropped; can we stop now?” To which I’m sure I’ll hear some witty remark thrown back at me.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.