'Minecraft' Game Will Allow Players To Change Usernames, But Not Before Update 1.8

“Minecraft” players will soon be able to change their usernames with an update promised by Swedish developer Mojang, which is owned by Microsoft. This will be the first time subscribers can alter their usernames since the game’s launch in 2009.

Kristoffer Jelbring, a developer at Mojang, teased the new ability via Twitter on Monday.

Username changes won’t be available before Mojang releases "Minecraft" version 1.8, but Mojang assures players it will be free. Changing usernames will also be limited to a certain number of changes in a given period of time. Alterations will also only be available to “Minecraft” profiles that use Mojang accounts, and players can only change their usernames to names that aren’t taken already.

Mojang hasn’t revealed when the update will take place.

“We do not yet support changing or editing usernames, though this is planned for the future. We do not have a set release date for this feature,” the "Minecraft" support page said. “​Username changes will not be available before Minecraft version 1.8. This does not mean that 1.8 is the release date for the username change feature."