'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Minecraft's visuals undeniably have their own style, combining blocks with pixellated textures, but it may be confusing to some as to why Mojang hasn't changed that.
There are likely more than a few reasons as to why the game's pixellated visuals haven't changed for the vanilla version. Players can look at how the game runs, the game's branding and marketing, and even the modding community's willingness to provide an alternative.
Considering a few of these facets, it's likely no wonder why Mojang hasn't made drastic graphical changes and has instead focused on small tweaks and improvements over the course of the game's lifespan.
Minecraft: Breaking down reasons why the game's graphics stay the same
1) Hardware constraints
When it comes to Minecraft's visuals and why they've mostly stayed the course, it's worth examining potential reasons. Although technology certainly exists to improve the game's visuals, creating higher fidelity graphics may be a detriment in the long run.
It comes down to the player to some degree, as some place higher focus on graphics than other aspects. However, there are other impacts that this change would cause.
Improving visuals would be great for players who have the hardware to handle the change, but not every player's machine can handle this upgrade. Furthermore, Minecraft's status on consoles, mobile phones, and even Chromebooks could be met with issues if the visual update made its way to its many different versions and platforms.
2) Minecraft's public brand and image
Minecraft and Microsoft's overall branding strategy are also worth considering. Blocky and pixellated graphics are part of the game's branding, and Microsoft has spent massive sums of money to advertise the game and its content to new and returning audiences for maximum engagement.
Making the game's graphics entirely different may dissuade players from continuing to play due to the change being too drastic. The game, regardless of player preferences, has been tied to its current visuals as part of its overall personality and presentation.
3) Improved graphical mods by the community
The game's modding community has existed for a large part of its entire tenure, and many mods have been released to improve visuals without Mojang's involvement. High-resolution resource packs and mods like Optifine recreate game worlds into incredibly immersive landscapes.
These worlds can be so transformed, players may even lose sight of the constraints of the game's engine when generating terrain. All the while, Mojang and Microsoft have approved of fans modding the game for maximum enjoyment.
This presents the best of both options for Minecraft, as gamers can fully enjoy its traditional appearance or a more photorealistic game world.
