Microsoft Gives Minecraft: Java Edition Players A Deadline To Migrate Accounts
"Minecraft" developer Mojang has announced via a recent email that Java Edition players won't be able to put off migrating from their old accounts to a Microsoft account any longer. While the company previously released a video explaining that everyone would need to make the switch back in October 2020, it was also planning a cutoff date for sometime in 2021.
Clearly, things didn't quite go according to the planned timeline, but now it's official: you have until March 10, 2022, to migrate your Java Edition account over to a Microsoft account, otherwise, you won't be able to play. And you'll get a free cape!
Mojang has made it clear the account change will not affect the game's Java Edition in any tangible way, so modders don't have to worry about losing any of their work or the option of using "Minecraft" as a bigger sandbox than its own Sandbox mode. This change is purely intended to work as a new — and, according to Mojang, more secure — way to log in.
What players need to know
The "Minecraft" FAQ page goes into more detail about the account migration, which will either require a connection to your existing Microsoft account or the creation of a new one. For starters, it states that in no uncertain terms you will need to migrate over to a Microsoft account in order to continue playing after the cutoff date, after which your old Mojang account won't be needed anymore. Logging in via a Microsoft account will also give you access to added security features, such as two-factor authentication.
All of your account information will be carried over, as well, so there's no need to worry about losing your username, world, or other content. Mojang also says Microsoft account users that have access to the "Bedrock" version on any platform will be able to play both versions ("Bedrock" and Java Edition) from the same Microsoft account.
It also clarifies that account migration won't change any of the Java Edition's limitations, so if you're hoping to use your updated account and this version of the game to play with friends on other platforms, it's not going to happen — Java Edition players can still only play with other Java Edition players.