Due to online comments, Microsoft has barred the creator of Minecraft, Markus Persson, from participating in the game’s 10-year anniversary. The tech giants have moved to distance him from the game altogether because of opinions they say do not reflect that of the company.

Minecraft officially launched as a playable game on 17th May 2009. On the day, it entered its alpha version. This means it became a playing game for the first time. Microsoft is now hosting an event to celebrate the anniversary. But Persson was not invited.

Persson faced accusations of making offensive statements that support conspiracy theorists. Some of his statements were also deemed critical of the game. In 2017 and 2018 he made comments many interpreted as white supremacist. He said things like, “It’s okay to be white.” He also said, “There clearly is an agenda against white men.” All these he posted online.

Microsoft is now trying to distance the company and the game they purchased from him because of these comments and others like it. They have also removed him from Minecraft’s main screen earlier in 2019.

Minecraft was sold to Microsoft for $2.5 billion in September 2014.