‘Minecraft:’ Badge of Honor

According to Forbes, “Minecraft” is the best-selling video game to date, with more than 300 million copies sold across all platforms. Federico San Martin, senior director, Minecraft Consumer Products, has been expanding the brand’s licensing program, serving every kind of person imaginable, across every gender, age and generation. Since taking the reins of the licensing program in January 2021, San Martin has grown the universally loved brand and maintained its relevancy as it has evolved into a cultural phenomenon.

“There are multiple factors and key elements that allowed ‘Minecraft’ to become the franchise that it is today,” says San Martin. “It has to do with the open-ended gameplay. As a player, you have the freedom to explore. You can create an interactive, limitless world. There’s not a narrative that you need to follow. We’ve seen the results with the game, and we’re going beyond the game with consumer products. It’s proven to be very successful.”

“Minecraft” was created in 2009 by programmer, Markus Persson, in Stockholm. It was originally called the “Cave Game,” released as a development build on software forums and gained popularity. To continue game development on the growing new IP, Mojang Studios was formed. The following year, a casual meet-up planned on “Minecraft” forums, called MINECON, later grew into a million-dollar, global touring event. The next couple of years saw the game make its debut on Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Vita, Android and iOS. In 2014, Microsoft bought “Minecraft” and Mojang Studios. Over the years, the IP expanded into different territories, won multiple awards, and in 2021, snagged the Best-Selling Video Game of All Time recognition by Guinness World Records. The impact of “Minecraft” on the world of video games and pop culture cannot be overstated, and that impact has spilled over to the licensing business.

Related:Building Blocks: Discovering ‘Minecraft’s’ Success in Licensing

Federico San Martin, Microsoft Minecraft

Minecraft Consumer Products

The Minecraft Consumer Products program was born in 2013. Egmont handbooks were the first launch in the program, released the following year. After years of success and expansion, Minecraft created a dedicated team for its licensed consumer products program in 2021. Since then, the program has exploded, with the end of 2022 marking a doubling in licensed consumer product partnerships for the brand. At the end of 2023, international business had grown the overall portfolio of active licensees to more than 60 partners across all regions, with national and international partners, the brand now has more than 180 active licensees.

Related:State of Play: The Licensed Gaming Landscape

“Everything started in Stockholm 15 years ago, with this game in alpha, and then all of a sudden, people recognized the appeal of game partners,” says San Martin. “We jumped into toys, apparel and publishing categories to help us bring that essence of the game into real life.”

Many partnerships were born over the last 15 years, with many licensees staying on board for years, believing in the brand’s consumer appeal.

“LEGO was one of the first partners that we had, and they have continued to be here throughout the years,” continues San Martin. “We have long-time partnerships with Mattel, Centric Brands, Jay Franco, Bioworld, Hallmark and others. They were some of the original licensees when Minecraft started to become a consumer products business, and we’re very excited to continue the partnership.”

Along with adding a consumer product-focused team and support from its licensees, San Martin credits Minecraft’s agencies for the exponential growth it has experienced.

“We have amazing relationships with our partner, Retail Monster, in the U.S. that helps us go after retail opportunities,” says San Martin. “We have our agents, CAA, who help us manage Latin America, Europe, Japan and Merchantwise who handles Australia and New Zealand. What started as a game, evolving over the years into a focus consumer products offering, has now blossomed into a fully-fledge consumer program.”

Related:Minecraft Celebrates 15 Years

"Minecraft” x LEGO “Minecraft Ideas” book, published by DK Children

Building Blocks of Fashion

Video games and fashion may not initially seem like an organic duo, but Minecraft has proven that notion wrong through its various apparel, footwear and accessories partnerships. The unmistakable aesthetic of the game carried well into apparel, and licensees have continued to create Minecraft wear for fashion-forward fans.

“It’s essential for us that the partners that we work with are best-in-class partners and we have a lot of relationships that we are very proud of working with,” says San Martin. “When choosing footwear and fashion collaborations, we make sure that both brands align, and the designs resonate with our licensing style and our brand identity. We respect and allow licensees to be creative because that’s what they do best, and we don’t want to block them into one specific thing. (No pun intended!) We allow them to deliver as long as they develop products that appeal to both their consumer and our community.”

Licensees like Bioworld and Mad Engine have been long-time partners for the Minecraft brand and see extensive potential for its continued expansion in the fashion world.

“Working with the Minecraft team is like embarking on an adventure through a vast, pixelated landscape filled with creativity and innovation,” says Jessica Jordan, vice president, licensing, Mad Engine. “They’re a passionate group, deeply committed to fostering a fan-driven environment where customers feel seen when exploring product options for purchase.”

“They are the high bar as far as a licensed partner goes,” says Jennifer Staley, vice president, licensing, Bioworld. “It’s a very important brand for us, so we always put a lot of investment and time into it. It’s been a long time that we have worked with them, and it’s only grown, which is a great trajectory.”

From luxury to more affordable apparel brands, Minecraft has made its mark as a licensor. Minecraft fashion, according to Mad Engine’s Jessica Jordan, is all about first and foremost appealing to the fans of the game by remaining authentic.

“Incorporating ‘Minecraft’ into apparel and accessory lines involves tapping into the game’s iconic imagery, characters and motifs to create items that resonate with fans,” says Jordan. “This could include clothing adorned with pixelated designs reminiscent of ‘Minecraft’ blocks or characters, accessories featuring popular in-game items like swords or pickaxes, or even thematic collections inspired by different biomes or aspects of the ‘Minecraft’ universe. By infusing these elements into our designs, we can appeal to the game’s passionate community while offering unique and appealing products that celebrate the ‘Minecraft’ experience.”

Like Mad Engine, Bioworld appeals to Minecraft brand fans through fashion collabs, which Staley says step beyond the stereotype that a video game brand appeals only to youth consumers, and therefore the consumer products must stay simplistic.

“We have created some beautiful fashion apparel,” says Staley. “I think when people think of a property where the primary target is a youth consumer for a gaming property, they just think basic T-shirts. We have really elevated the fashion angle and the lifestyle approach to what we’ve made for them in apparel. I think that’s the right direction to take such an evergreen brand, is to continue to elevate the product. We did a beautiful program for Old Navy last year, all elevated. Aesthetically very bespoke. We’re looking at what has been looked at as a youth brand, taken that and have done things beyond anything that has been done.”

Fashion for Minecraft doesn’t end at day-to-day apparel and footwear. Licensee, Centric Brands, creates sleepwear, hosiery and more for the brand. The partnership started in 2016, early in Minecraft’s licensing business.

“One of the things that we have done for many years is a zip-up pajama with a hood, and it’s the Creeper character,” says Jennifer Nitz, vice president, licensing, Centric Brands. “That is a product that’s always done very well for us. Then hosiery, it’s at Target, Walmart and Kohl’s, which has been there since the beginning of our partnership. We’ve done advent boxes like 15 days of socks, which have always been a top item. We sell men’s, women’s, kids’, infant and toddler, and we sell to over 100 different retailers. We have a very large business with them, and we’ve had a great amount of success over the years.”

The partnership started swiftly, and has been a great experience for Centric Brands.

“I literally signed the license in the summer of 2016 and the next day I got on a plane to Sweden for their first partner summit,” says Nitz. “It was incredible. We wanted to get product out as quickly as possible, so we worked very closely with them to create a style guide because they didn’t have one at the time, and they were very open and very collaborative. We had people on our team play the game to really understand it, and then we created assets from scratch, and we got product out by that fall for the holiday season. Ever since, it’s been a top property for us.”

Bioworld, Centric Brands and Mad Engine have all shared that additional Minecraft apparel and accessories are in the works, like adaptive bags from Bioworld and Minecraft movie merchandise from Centric Brands. Minecraft fans can expect more exciting launches headed to consumers in the Minecraft fashion world.

Minecraft x Justice apparel collab

Digital to Physical: Minecraft at Play

Another deeply infiltrated product category for Minecraft is toys. Bridging the gap between the digital and physical worlds, Minecraft toys allow fans to play aspects of the game in real life.

“[Toys] are a natural extension of the [‘Minecraft’] play pattern,” says San Martin. “Toys is a key category that allows consumers to take the video game into physical [products]. Toys allow you to live the brand beyond the limits of the game ... and mirror it in real life. From building a structure to battling mobs with action figures or cuddling your plush when it is time for bed, [consumers] are able to have the same adventure in the game, in real life.”

Toy and entertainment company, Mattel, has been one of many Minecraft toy licensees for more than a decade.

“Working with Microsoft for over 10 years has been a truly collaborative partnership, where we all have the common goal of delivering great Minecraft products to Minecraft fans around the world,” says David Schwartz, senior director, global brand marketing, Mattel. “Their approachability and ease of collaboration make the experience seamless and extremely enjoyable. We take immense pride in our ongoing commitment to innovation, continuously bringing joy to Minecraft enthusiasts even after a decade of partnership.”

A multitude of product has been launched between Minecraft and Mattel over the years. As Minecraft evolves the game, Mattel will continue to create toys for fans to re-enact gameplay in real life.

“Whether it’s through our dynamic action figures, immersive role-play experiences, coveted collector items or cozy plush toys, the Mattel line offers something special for every devoted Minecraft fan,” says Schwartz.

Minecraft is represented through multiple toy categories: plush, puzzles, arts and crafts, action figures, board games and more. Mattel and other Minecraft toy licensees, including LEGO, Playview Brands, Hasbro’s NERF, Ravensburger and others, have capitalized on the brand’s ability to seamlessly integrate from the digital space to the physical world, using their expertise to give fans what they love – and there’s more on the way.

“Hitting shelves this year is Flippin Figs, which is a great 2-in-1 action figure that transforms back and forth between two different characters and is really magical when you see it in action,” says Schwartz. “For 2025 we are extending even further, developing all-new must-have items within the category.”

“This level of innovation, creativity and collaboration is very important for us,” says San Martin. “There’s a lot of cool things that will be launching not only this year, but next year.”

Dynacraft “Minecraft” bike

Publishing, Home and Unexpected Collabs

San Martin says the three pillars of the Minecraft licensing business are toys, fashion and publishing. Current publishing licensees include Random House Worlds, DK Children and Farshore, and the publishing program includes handbooks, guidebooks, annuals and informational books.

“We have grown [the publishing] business exponentially in the last three years,” says San Martin. “We have a coffee table book. We have a cookbook. We have all different types of publishing. It has allowed us to really tell a story and to take Minecraft into some of those areas of our daily lives. Our authors have taken Minecraft into new and exciting places.”

The lineup isn’t complete, however. To celebrate Minecraft’s 15th anniversary, a new book is on its way.

“We’re going to be launching a book called ‘The World of Minecraft’ that is coming later this year to celebrate 15 years of Minecraft,” says San Martin.

Another hot category for Minecraft is home goods. As original fans become adults and have their own children, it’s a vertical that companies like Ukonic have grown with Minecraft.

“We have been collaborating with the Minecraft team for about six years,” says Martin Butler, founder, chief executive officer, Ukonic. “It’s been an exciting and exhilarating ride. Having a Minecraft license has been such a privilege. The Minecraft team shares our appreciation for innovation, and with their support, we have been able to do some of our best work. The power of the Minecraft brand has given us lots of inspiration and excitement, both of which are very important in product development and design. When you’re inspired and excited, you create great products. It’s my hope that Ukonic and Minecraft continue to build an even stronger relationship, design more products together and create more happiness for all those ‘Minecraft’ fans out there.”

Jay Franco, another home goods licensee, has been working with the Minecraft team for nearly a decade. Bedding, pillow buddies and pop-up boxes are just some of the products that have stemmed from the ongoing collaboration.

“We take great pride in our mystery pop-up boxes tailored for the Japanese market,” The Jay Franco team said in a statement. “It’s truly rewarding to witness the joy fans experience as they eagerly unwrap the boxes and enthusiastically share their discoveries with the community. We’ve proudly collaborated with the Minecraft team since 2016, from our early Stockholm visits to being part of their rise as a licensing industry powerhouse. The Minecraft team’s meticulous care for the brand and its fans is evident in everything they do. We’ve long admired their commitment to supporting the community, inclusivity, sustainability and upholding quality standards. Our partnership continues to evolve, extending into new product lines worldwide while staying true to the core ethos of ‘Minecraft.’”

Like Jay Franco, Ukonic is planning extensions for Minecraft, expanding upon bold and innovative launches.

“Without a doubt, our boldest Minecraft creation has been the Creeper Mini Fridges that we created for both Target and Walmart,” says Butler. “We’ve invested large amounts of time and resources into these items. Our figural lighting collection is also super-fun. There are lots of new items coming in 2024 and beyond.”

The unmistakable aesthetic of the Minecraft brand has allowed for multiple unexpected product collaborations that enhance brand awareness and fandom.

“One of the things that we say is that we like to surprise and delight our community,” says San Martin. “What better way to do that than with collaborations with amazing brands? Like with Burberry, for example, which won a Webby Award for Best Partnership or Collaboration. We sparked a lot of conversation in the fashion industry because people were asking a lot of questions.”

Minecraft made news with fashion partnerships with the likes of Lacoste, Burberry, PUMA and Crocs. Other unexpected collaborations include adult-leaning home décor. Brands like The Noble Collection created decorative “Minecraft” torches and swords, as well as playable high-quality chess sets for adult consumers. From eccentric fashion to “kidult” collectibles and home goods to cookbooks, there’s something a little quirky for every consumer.

“The Minecraft Ideas Book,” published by DK Children

Building on 15 Years

This May marks 15 years since “Minecraft” was launched. It’s a big deal for the brand, and to celebrate, an assortment of licensed goods have hit retail.

“‘Minecraft’ is turning 15 on May 17 and we’re very excited about this,” says San Martin. “We’ve started seeing some product launches at retail as well as the implementation of a fully integrated marketing campaign. We have many additional surprises in place.”

One such surprise is Minecraft’s expansion into new and unexpected categories around the world.

“We’re bringing new and exciting collaborations in some categories that we haven’t had a presence in before,” continues San Martin. “Health and beauty, food and beverage and consumer electronics are some categories. Probably within the next six to 18 months, you’ll see those on the shelves. We’re trying to prioritize and deliver on those categories, depending also on the territory. While in the U.S., we might be ready to move into certain categories, such as confectionery, in some other territories we might be focusing a little bit more on launching health and beauty first. We also continue to expand into new territories. There’s a lot of work to be done and there’s still a lot of territories that we would like to enter within the next two to three years, one of them being China. We have new game updates, new partnerships, new products and much more.”

Minecraft’s partners see the 15th anniversary as just the beginning.

“At 15 years young, Minecraft is just getting started and has unlimited potential moving into the future,” says Schwartz.

“Minecraft” Go-Gurt by Yoplait

‘Minecraft’s’ Big-Screen Debut

“Minecraft” is being adapted into a live-action feature film slated for release in 2025. Distributed by Warner Bros. and produced by Legendary Pictures, Mojang and Vertigo Entertainment, the film boasts cast members Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks and Jack Black. The movie has been in the works for years, with two previous adaptations shelved before landing on the current version.

“We are very excited to see director, Jared Hess’, vision of ‘Minecraft’ come to life,” says San Martin. “It’s an amazing cast, as well, so we know we’re in for a great movie. We’re working with Warner Bros. very closely to come up with a multi-category licensing and promotional program.”

The multi-category licensing program involves licensees both current and new, and assets are already being distributed for product ideation.

“With the movie coming out next year, we’re very excited because that’s been a long time coming and we’ve seen a sneak peek of some of the assets,” says Nitz. “It’s going to breathe new life into the brand and get people really excited about it.”

Minecraft adaptations are nothing new – spin-off games, official novels, YouTube videos and more have added to the vast storytelling power of the Minecraft brand. With the feature film, that storytelling power is set to expand. San Martin sees the film as an opportunity for those already familiar with the brand but not currently fans to become fans through the new story.

“The movie allows us to introduce a new consumer that might not be a fan of ‘Minecraft,’ but through the movie they become one,” says San Martin. “There’s a lot of things that this movie is going to bring to us. It’s a different way of experiencing the brand, through the storytelling and the world-building.”

And with a blockbuster film in the works, partners can certainly expect to draft off not only box office success, but audience expansion. “A lot of the consumers play the game, but this will give them a broader reach for the consumer that maybe isn’t as familiar with ‘Minecraft,’ but is a movie-going person,” says Staley.

As more sneak peeks and assets from the film are released to the public, expect a surge in Minecraft buzz in pop culture. If Nintendo’s “Super Mario Bros. Movie” or SEGA’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” film series are any indication, Minecraft’s addition to the video game-inspired movie space is sure to increase its fandom – and create some additional consumer product sales.

Ukonic “Minecraft” Creeper mini fridge

Fans and Their Impact on “Minecraft”

As the best-selling video game of all time, “Minecraft” has a lot of fans from every kind of demographic imaginable. Therefore, the Minecraft consumer product line reflects the needs of its fans, with licensees noting expansive offerings to cater to the audience,

“Minecraft is not just a boy brand, it’s not just a girl brand, it’s not just for adults,” says Nitz. “Everybody likes Minecraft.”

“Our product offering is for gamers of all ages, from children who enjoy the game’s creative mode to teenagers and adults who engage in multiplayer adventures or follow ‘Minecraft’ content creators online,” adds Jordan.

With such a large fan base, the Minecraft Consumer Products program will continue to develop.

“Growth for the Minecraft brand means continuing to evolve and add content to the game,” says San Martin. “We have the updates; we have different touch points that we continue to do to get people involved and creating new experiences. It’s a game that has no polarity, so you can create your own narrative with endless possibilities. I think that’s what our community loves about the game. It’s this openness that allows for the possibilities of expansion, because when fans take the game one direction, we realize that that direction is a fantastic idea. We can take the audience into so many different areas and we’re doing with our collaborations.”

San Martin says that fan ideas allow its community and the audience to continue to embrace Minecraft as an evergreen franchise.

“The fans help shape not only what happens next in the game, but what happens next in the consumer products program because they’re building things that end up on the shelves,” says San Martin. “We hear our community, and we know they’re eager for new and exciting things that are enhancing that experience, things they’ve been waiting for.”

Nurturing the relationship between the fans and the brand is a top priority for San Martin and his team. The connection between audience members and the IP not only sells additional consumer products, but gives them something to be proud of and excited about – something they want to show off.

“It’s a connection,” says San Martin. “You wear a T-shirt, hoodie or tennis shoes because [it features] a Creeper – it’s a badge of honor to identify with other community members. It’s about breaking down those barriers in the world and allow yourself to connect [with others] in real life.”

The Future of Play and “Minecraft”

“The future is bright,” says San Martin. “We continue to grow as we expand into new categories and territories. We have new game updates. We have a movie and new forms of entertainment. We have new partnerships and new products and much more. As we share with our community within the upcoming months, we’re very excited because they are big in scale and that allows our community to immerse themselves into the brand further.”

In addition, partners will see a slew of additional upcoming opportunities in categories like the youth girl segment, inclusivity and accessibility, products for original fans entering adulthood as well as bold, unexpected offerings, expanding retail locations and more.

Minecraft’s booming licensing program is due to, as San Martin emphasizes, the community of people that have supported and championed the brand along the way.

“I want to thank our licensees, our agents, our retailers and License Global for all of the support,” says San Martin. “I’m thankful to my team and Mojang Studios. I think it’s important to recognize that without them and our community, we wouldn’t be where we are. I’ve been doing this for a long time and it’s an honor to represent Minecraft. Three years ago, we were challenged to think differently, and we did. We changed the way that we did consumer products. At the end of the day, our loyal Minecraft community has allowed us to drive the business to where it is now. It would only be fair to thank everybody who is supporting us.”

Minecraft is continuing to search for additional licensing partners and expansion opportunities.

LEGO "Minecraft" Micro World

“Minecraft” Milestones Timeline

From its beginnings in Stockholm to a big anniversary, “Minecraft” has come far since 2009. Here is a timeline of the evergreen property.

2009

Early version of "Minecraft"

2010

Minecraft game on Xbox 360

2011

Jens Mojavatar

2013

2014

2015

“Minecraft: China Edition”

2016

"Minecraft" Stop-Motion Movie Creator

2017

2018

2019

"Minecraft" Duvet

2020

2021

2022

"Minecraft" x Burberry

2023

"Minecraft" Camp Enderwood, Mattel

2024

Minecraft 15th anniversary

Bonus! 2025

This story was taken from the May 2024 issue of License Global. Read the full issue here.