Clearwater Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 Microsoft has bought Mojang, the Swedish firm behind the popular video game Minecraft, for $2.5bn (£1.5bn). The title, which has sold over 54 million copies, allows players to build structures with retro Lego-style blocks, as well as explore a large map and battle others. The deal was announced by Xbox chief Phil Spencer. Mojang, whose three founders will leave the company, assured fans that "everything is going to be OK". Some analysts have speculated the deal is designed to attract more users to Microsoft's Windows Phone devices. The acquisition comes a year after Microsoft bought the handset and devices division of Finnish mobile phone firm Nokia. Minecraft creator Markus Persson has been critical of Microsoft Minecraft is one of the top-selling apps on both Apple's iOS store and and Android's Google Play, and has recently been released for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, further boosting sales. Last month, it was the third most popular console game, according to market research firm NPD Group, despite being on sale for a while. The game's developer, Mojang, which was founded in 2009, brought in over $100m in profit last year, and employs about 40 people. Microsoft said the Mojang team would join its game studio, which is responsible for titles such as Halo, Forza and Fable. The tech giant's chief executive, Satya Nadella, said: "Minecraft is more than a great game franchise - it is an open world platform, driven by a vibrant community we care deeply about, and rich with new opportunities for that community and for Microsoft." Opposition to sale Mojang's founder, Markus "Notch" Persson, has previously criticised Microsoft, and commented to Reuters that the market for Windows phones was "tiny" and not worth developing apps for. Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29204518 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arashikage Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 I hope Microsoft doesn't waste Mojang's talent, or ruin what makes them special. It's happened, but it's pretty Rare. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patch93 Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 Ha! Nice pun there Kage. XP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Orange Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 This thread is copy pasta. Bad copy pasta. And from what I've read on multiple sites, Microsoft appears to be adding Mojang to the conglomerate just to boost the sales of Windows. Microsoft has Minecraft? = people buy Windows I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hidi Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 I would call this a sad moment.Remember when Notch was still with Mojang, and he gave Microsoft a giant F U for Windows 8?Now Minecraft has become so big, it's now a tool for Microsoft to keep Windows relevant.This also kills what Notch originally intended to do with the game after its hype died; release many of the source assets to the game and basically make it open-source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWolf Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 Fuck it, if someone offered me $2.5B + virtually unlimited development and distribution for my company I'd fucking sell it in a heartbeat. In fact, Garry Newman of Garry's Mod and Rust fame said something similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scourge Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 I remember when notch got it into his head that making a company for Minecraft would be a good idea. And now the company that worked his ass off to make, was absorbed into the Microsoft monstrosity. +1 to whomever in Mojang decided that was a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazerMaster5 Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 I just do not like how the devs said that they would not sell out, and later on saying they would release the source code if such a thing were to happen. Now Mojang reveals its true colors, as they lied to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arashikage Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 To clear things up, Notch said Mojang wouldn't sell out, then he stepped down as CEO. When Jens took over, Notch didn't have the final say in what Mojang did anymore. Notch is so distraught about his company being bought by Microsoft that he's quitting the company entirely. And honestly, I can't blame him. But can we please not hate Notch for this? He had no say in it. In fact, in a blog post he wrote yesterday, he said “I don’t see myself as a real game developer. I make games because it’s fun and because I love games and I love to program, but I don’t make games with the intention of them becoming huge hits, and I don’t try to change the world. Minecraft certainly became a huge hit, and people are telling me it’s changed games. I never meant for it to do either.†EDIT: The devs never said they wouldn't sell out. Notch said he wouldn't sell out. Notch stopped having a say in Mojang, and the company sold out. Nobody lied to anyone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoo Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Could Microsoft start including MC giftcodes with a purchase of a windows 7/8 computer? When Microsoft was thinking about buying Doom back in the 90's, they claimed that they might add a free copy with the purchase of a Windows 95 computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazerMaster5 Posted September 18, 2014 Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 Microsoft, please don't stop the updates, at least until we get to 2.0. I like whenever there is a new update, as it freshens up the experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clearwater Posted September 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 I'm interested to see what Microsoft does to Minecraft, mainly because they've done some great stuff in the past (Halo, Age Of Empires, Forza Horizon), but I'm going to say this: They add or change something which'll f**k up the multiplayer, then I'll stop playing it online altogether and only play in singleplayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaoh Shadon Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 Microsoft, please don't stop the updates, at least until we get to 2.0. I like whenever there is a new update, as it freshens up the experience. Don't worry, the updates will come... In the form of DLC >: D #M$Mastercompany Not sure what I Think of this. Though to be fair about the rare thing, the company that did minecraft ONLY did minecraft (That I know of anyway) so the team will either only work on minecraft, or do other games that will either be amazing, or never heard of. So it's not like they are gonna ruin a company like they did rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazerMaster5 Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 DLC? NOOOOOOOOO! You maniacs! You blew it all up! Damn you! Damn you all to hell! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner/Technical Admin Sideways Posted September 22, 2014 Owner/Technical Admin Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 Am I one of the only people who doesn't really care? Minecraft will still be Minecraft to me, regardless of who owns Mojang, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneUnder Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 Relevant; 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clearwater Posted October 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 We have a new heads-up saying that Microsoft ''are reassuring fans about what they are going to do to Minecraft''. Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29567196 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arminius H O Fiddywinks Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 We're all gonna die!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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