Java Applets weren't some magical "workaround" for distributing without publishers, lots (well, subjective) of indie developers were distributing binaries via websites at the point of the first alphas of Minecraft. Of course, way more popular nowadays as there are dedicated platforms for it.
the initial scope of minecraft was also in line with the java applet games of ~2005, like the ski simulator. minecraft came well after the applet era, almost to the end of the flash.
huh. Minecraft is the taylor swift of video games. the last big star before big tech took over discovery and access for an industry.
