Microsoft's popular sandbox game Minecraft is getting some huge facelift this year. The software company has been looking ways to monetize the game's massive user base, which reportedly reached a staggering 100 million users. Amazingly, that figure is still growing with no sign of slowing down. This week, Microsoft is making a huge announcement, a plan for a new virtual marketplace for Minecraft users.

For a starter, the Redmond-based Microsoft acquired the Sweden-based Minecraft developer Mojang AB for a whopping $2.5 billion in 2014. The game, which allows users to use a Lego-like block to create their own virtual world, is currently available on PC, gaming consoles, smartphones, and tablets.

While Minecraft's user base keeps growing, the revenue is not. this means only one thing- Microsoft needs to seek for ways on how to better monetize the game's massive user base. To justify also the whopping $2.5 billion Microsoft has spent for the game, the software giant needs to mine more and get deeper in the game. For Microsoft, monetization in the name of the next big game.

Fortunately, Microsoft now has some good idea on how to monetize the game's massive user base, including the game's 55 million unique monthly players. Microsoft is about to milk Minecraft. The widely popular sandbox game Minecraft is about to launch a new virtual Minecraft marketplace with a new digital currency, creating a new stream of revenue flow for its massive 100 million users.

The Minecraft Marketplace, which set to open later this spring, will start with nine businesses that will sell their content packs inside the Minecraft game. The content packs will include storylines, in-game activities, and landscapes, with pricing range between $1 and $10 per creation, the Yahoo Finance reported.

Additionally, Microsoft is now allowing other companies to apply to be part of the virtual marketplace and sell their original content. In the new Minecraft Marketplace, Minecraft users can now purchase feature or content packs directly from the marketplace, and the developer will receive a portion of the content pack sales. However, Microsoft would not reveal to the public the exact figure of the developers' shares. But the company provided some good idea, saying that the third-party developer will receive "more than half" of the sale, according to Bloomberg.

Minecraft users will be able to purchase those contents with the virtual Minecraft Coins, which will function the same with other digital currencies found in other games. As for the content creators or content developers, there will be two partner creators when the Minecraft Marketplace goes live. The first one is Blockworks, a group known for creating RPG-themed maps. The second one is the pixel artist Eneija Silverleaf, who works for different skins for the Minecraft game.

However, for now, the Minecraft Marketplace will only be made available to Minecraft Windows 10 and mobile users. As for the other platforms or Minecraft players, there still no word on whether or not Minecraft players on other gaming platforms will be getting this newly introduced Minecraft Marketplace.

Meanwhile, Minecraft developer has just announced that the Chinese Mythology Mash-Up Pack will be rolling out to Pocket and Windows 10 this week, April 11. The latest update is said to bring a number of bug fixes and new features on board.

In another Minecraft-related news, Minecraft is reportedly coming to Nintendo Switch. The Japanese gaming giant made the huge announcement this week, announcing that the industry's best-selling crafting game will be launched on its game console this coming May 11 digitally, with a physical version to hit stores at a later date.

In Minecraft official Twitter account, the developer posted a message, confirming that Minecraft Nintendo Switch Edition will be available on May 11. Attached to the tweet is a link to the Minecraft's official website, where the developer made some quick but more detailed info about the Switch version of the game.

According to Minecraft developer, the Switch version of the game will include multiplayer for eight players online or four players locally. The Switch version also includes support for the Switch Pro Controller.
Minecraft was first confirmed for Nintendo Switch earlier this year, however, it still unknown for now how many PC features will be going to the Switch version of the game. Microsoft has not made any further comment on this.