As Minecraft crosses 300 million copies, here are 5 fun facts about the most popular game on Earth

Minecraft is bigger than Earth

The world of Minecraft is so vast that it dwarfs our own planet. The potential map size of Minecraft is about 60,000 km by 60,000 km, which is roughly four times the surface area of Earth. That means you can walk for days and days without ever reaching the edge of the world.

And if you think that’s impressive, wait until you hear this: there’s a project called Build the Earth that aims to recreate the entire Earth in Minecraft. Using satellite data and a lot of dedication, the project hopes to replicate every natural and man-made feature on our planet, from the Grand Canyon to the Eiffel Tower.

Minecraft creator’s avatar drops a gift upon dying

Minecraft’s creator, Markus Persson, also known as Notch, has a special avatar in the game. When he dies, he drops an apple. He’s the only player in the game who has this unique feature. The apple is also a very powerful item in the game, known as an Enchanted Apple or a Notch Apple. It gives you several buffs, such as regeneration, fire resistance and absorption.

Minecraft can run Minecraft

You can build literally anything you can imagine in Minecraft, even computers. Using redstone blocks, which act like wires and circuits, you can create simple or complex machines that can perform various functions. Some people have even managed to create working computers inside Minecraft that can run programs, such as calculators, word processors and even games. One of the most amazing examples is programmed version of a computer that can run Minecraft itself. That’s right, you can play Minecraft inside Minecraft.

Minecraft was made in six days

Minecraft may seem like a complex and sophisticated game, but it actually started as a simple and humble project. Notch began working on Minecraft on May 10, 2009, as a hobby project inspired by other games like Dwarf Fortress and Infiniminer. His initial goal was to create a sandbox game where players could explore and build freely in a procedurally generated world.

He released the first version of the game on May 17, 2009, just six days after he started working on it. The game was very basic at that time, with only a few blocks and no enemies or objectives. But it quickly gained popularity and feedback from players, who encouraged Notch to keep developing and improving the game.

Minecraft has a cat sound for Ghasts

Minecraft has many creatures that inhabit its world, some friendly and some hostile. One of the most terrifying (some may even call them annoying) enemies in the game are Ghasts, flying ghost-like creatures that shoot fireballs at you. They also make a distinctive high-pitched scream that can send chills down your spine.

But did you know that this sound was actually made by a cat? The music producer of Minecraft, C418, recorded his cat while it was sleeping and woke up suddenly. He then edited and distorted the sound to make it sound more eerie and ghastly. That’s how he created the voice for Ghasts.