Minecraft's use of procedural generation to create vast and diverse game worlds was a key technical innovation. This allowed for virtually limitless exploration and replayability.

The iconic block-based world design of Minecraft was a significant technical choice that enabled creative building and destruction mechanics.

Persson and later the Mojang team continually optimized Minecraft's Java codebase to improve performance and stability, enabling the game to run on a wide range of hardware.

The design choices that allowed for relatively easy modding contributed significantly to Minecraft's longevity and appeal. Persson's initial acceptance of modding helped foster a thriving community.