Mojang Studios, the creators of Minecraft, had indicated back in late 2020 that all Mojang Accounts will be transitioned to Microsoft Accounts. The deadline for the transition is March 10, 2022. This means Minecraft: Java Edition players and those who use the Minecraft Launcher on PC will soon need to have a Microsoft Account.
Until recently, some players have continued to hold on to their Mojang Accounts to play the game. However, come March 10, such accounts will be deactivated. Incidentally, the Microsoft Account needed to play Minecraft: Java Edition is free, and the process is quite simple. Moreover, transitioning a Mojang Account to a Microsoft Account offers several benefits to the players, indicated a blog post on Minecraft’s official website.
Some of the benefits include additional security via two-factor authentication, the ability to link different games in the Minecraft universe to the same account, improved parental controls, and the ability to block chat messages and invitations. Specifically speaking, a Microsoft account will grant access to Minecraft: Java Edition, Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, and Minecraft Dungeons through the launcher, all through a single log-in process.
Besides the transition to a Microsoft Account, nothing else changes in the game experience. All the game data, including username, progress, creations, and skins will be retained, confirmed the FAQ page.
Minecraft: Java Edition is now available through PC Game Pass, alongside Mojang"s other Minecraft games, as well as a newly unified Minecraft Launcher. Players who complete the migration process will be eligible to receive a free cape as a reward for their in-game character. Gamers can redeem this cape at any point. However, to ensure the process is seamless, the developers recommend creating a free account before the deadline.