Microsoft said to be buying the maker of 'Minecraft' for $2 billion

[xxMATTGxx]

icrosoft is nearing a deal to buy Mojang AB, makers of the Minecraft video game franchise, according to a new report. According to the Wall Street Journal, the deal would value Mojang at more than $2 billion and could be signed as soon as this week.

Microsoft and Mojang declined to comment to the Journal. As the Journal notes, the move would be surprising given that Mojang founder Markkus "Notch" Persson, is a darling of the indie gaming scene who has avoided taking venture capital. He has also criticized Microsoft's Windows 8 for potentially being "very, very bad for indie games."

Minecraft, which first came out in 2009, has sold more than 50 million copies. Stockholm-based Mojang had $100 million in profits last year, according to the Journal. It's a reflection of the fact that Minecraft, an open-world game where players can build almost anything they can imagine while avoiding spiders and other dangers, has become a global phenomenon.

Developing ...

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/9/612...-for-2-billion



My thoughts? For some reason I will be surprised this even happens. Why? Well Notch has been very vocal about Microsoft over the years and also about Windows 8. So I think people will be surprised and shocked he would agree to something like this. Maybe it will happen, maybe it won't. Hell, people said Google was buying Twitch but then in the end it was Amazon who did.

[scottish]

He won't care what he said a few years ago, 2 billion is 2 billion.

[xxMATTGxx]

He won't care what he said a few years ago, 2 billion is 2 billion.

Would be an ironic move. Minecraft won't be the same once MS get their hands on it.

[scottish]

I doubt MS would change much considering it's mass success already.

[lawrawrrr]

aaaaahahahahahahha the thread title on my forum looks like they're buying it for $2... I'll buy it for more!


Anyway yeah IF they did buy, which I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to, but can't see happening with its growing success and Notch's past comments, I don't really think they'd change it that much anyway. I could possibly see some sort of merger happening where Notch still gets some sort of senior position but I just really don't think he'd change his mind so much as to completely let it go to the company he has, quite frankly, been banging on about for a while now.

[Chris]

It makes sense that they want to purchase it. Not only is it popular on the PC but it's got a really big following on the xbox 360 and most recently the xbox one. I wonder if they would try and keep Minecraft from any future playstation consoles in an attempt to make it an exclusive xbox game.

[Chippiewill]

He won't care what he said a few years ago, 2 billion is 2 billion.

@garrynewman I've turned down money like that.

— notch (@notch) March 26, 2014

[scottish]

the real garry knows best.

[DPS]

yeah im with scottish on this one... he wouldnt care. 2 billion is alot of ***** wonga... would be stupid to turn that down imo.

[xxMATTGxx]

yeah im with scottish on this one... he wouldnt care. 2 billion is alot of ***** wonga... would be stupid to turn that down imo.

He's already turned money like that before. This time might be different though, seeing as Notch and the whole Mojang gang are keeping quiet at this moment in time about this.