GamesIndustry International has details from a Swedish report indicating Mojang is working on a Minecraft Realms mode for their indie hit Minecraft, as a way for parents to allow their kids to play without the potential hazards they could be exposed to on independently administered game servers. Mojang CEO Carl Manneh speculates this may actually generate more income than the game has already earned, and here's an outline of how this will work:

Subscribers will be given their own self-contained world, with full control over who has access and their friends list. Only one person per world will need a Realms account, and anyone invited to join will need a copy of Minecraft and an internet connection.

The price of the subscription has not been set, but Mojang has indicated that it will be between $10 and $15 a month. It also intends to issue special pre-paid cards for those with no access to credit cards. Ultimately, Manneh believes that Realms has the potential to open up Minecraft to new players, and, in the long-term, become as strong a source of revenue as Minecraft itself.