Microsoft has purchased Mojang, the company behind Minecraft, a massively popular computer game that has created its own subculture wit...
Microsoft has purchased Mojang, the company behind Minecraft, a massively popular computer game that has created its own subculture within the larger gaming community.
Mojang launched Minecraft in 2009 and has since generated more than 100 million downloads. Mojang stated on its blog that the founders of the company are not joining Microsoft.
"The Minecraft community is passionate and diverse, ranging across all ages and demographics. We respect the brand and independent spirit that has made Minecraft great, and we’ll carry on the tradition of innovation to move the franchise forward," Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft's Xbox, wrote in a blog post announcing the deal. "Our investments in cloud, Xbox Live and mobile technology will enable players to benefit from richer and faster worlds, more powerful development tools, and more opportunities to connect with the Minecraft community."
The Wall Street Journal reported talks between the two companies last week. The acquisition immediately bolsters Microsoft's gaming division, Xbox. Sales of its most recent hardware,Xbox One, have been strong but behind rival Sony and its PlayStation 4.
"Though it’s too early to confirm which of us will continue working on Minecraft or other projects, we predict that the vast majority (if not all) Mojangstas will continue to work at Mojang for the time being," Owen Hill of Mojang wrote in a separate blog post. "The founders: Notch, Carl, and Jakob are leaving. We don’t know what they’re planning. It won’t be Minecraft-related but it will probably be cool."
Markus Persson, who goes by "Notch," founded Mojang and created Minecraft. He published a blog post on Monday outlining how the growth of Minecraft has left him in a difficult position.
"I’ve become a symbol. I don’t want to be a symbol, responsible for something huge that I don’t understand, that I don’t want to work on, that keeps coming back to me," he wrote. "I’m not an entrepreneur.
I’m not a CEO. I’m a nerdy computer programmer who likes to have opinions on Twitter.I’m not a CEO. I’m a nerdy computer programmer who likes to have opinions on Twitter."
Persson was previously critical of Microsoft and other gaming companies. He also announced that a version of Minecraft, which had been in development for virtual reality gaming company Oculus Rift, had been canceled after the Facebook acquisition.
The sale makes Persson a billionaire, but he noted in the post that he did not agree to the deal for a big payday.
"It’s not about the money. It’s about my sanity," he wrote.
In Minecraft, Microsoft becomes the steward of one of the most successful and unique properties in modern gaming, with dedicated fans that have helped enhance and develop the game. The company is also profitable, making $128 million in 2013.
