Is Minecraft shutting down on December 2020? Fact Check

Rumours online claim that popular video game Minecraft is shutting down in December 2020.

FALSE

Messages claiming that popular bricking building video game Minecraft is shutting its doors in late 2020 has been circulating prolifically during late December and early January 2020. The rumours seem to have originated from a single paragrapghy “news story” on a website called Channel45News.com

Despite it’s name, this isn’t a news website. It’s a “create your own prank” website, of which there are many. These websites allow their users to create their own fake stories that appear to look like genuine news stories. The site has a disclaimer in the footer that reads –

We do NOT support FAKE NEWS!!! This is a Prank website that is intended for Fun.

Microsoft (who own Mojang, which develops Minecraft) community employee Helen Zbihlyj subsequently tweeted –

Once more for the folks who missed the tweet the first time I posted it. Minecraft is NOT stopping, Mojang is NOT closing. #Minecraft

As such, the claim is false.