'Minecraft' Gets Its Own Official Monthly Swag Box

Monthly subscription boxes are a curious idea: subscribers pay a fee to receive things like t-shirts, toys, merchandise, makeup or food that they have no choice over. Companies like Loot Crate, Fancy, Graze and Dollar Shave Club all utilise the model, but there's a new entrant on the scene: Mojang. That's right, Minecraft now has its own swag box.

For $30 a month, Mojang says it will send subscribers a unique "Mine Chest" full of "hand-picked, official, Minecraft goodies." The company keeps the exact items under wraps but says customers can expect an exclusive t-shirt, DIY crafting recipes, exclusive items not found in stores and a selection of collectibles each month.

The Mine Chest was first unveiled in July 2015 at MineCon. Servers Mojang made 5,000 beta keys available to attendees so they could secure the first boxes, but now it's opening to all. While it sounds like the perfect gift for any Minecraft fan, it does come with some caveats.

First, Mojang requires that subscribers choose a monthly plan, which is billed in advance, but shipments won't go out until May. The company says that payment up front allows it to better serve customers by buying premium items in higher quantities to drive costs down. Next, a $7 shipping cost will also be added to each monthly Mine Chest. Finally, Mine Chests are currently only available in the US. Mojang blames high shipping costs for its exclusivity but says it's "working very hard" to bring them down and expand availability.