Microsoft pays $2.5bn for Minecraft maker Mojang By Joe Miller Technology reporter, BBC News Microsoft has acquired Mojang, the Swedish company behind the wildly popular video game Minecraft for $2.5bn (PS1.5bn). The game that has sold more than 54 million copies, allows players to build structures with Lego-like blocks, as well as explore a large map and battle others. Phil Spencer, chief Xbox executive, announced the deal. Mojang, the company's founders, assured that their fans that everything was going to be perfectly. Analysts believe that the deal is designed to increase the number of Microsoft's Windows Phone users. This acquisition comes one year after Microsoft purchased the Finnish mobile phone company Nokia's handset and devices division. Minecraft is among the most popular games on 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. In the month of March, it was the third most-loved console game according to market research firm NPD Group, despite being in the market for a short time. The game's developer, Mojang, which was founded in 2009, made over $100m in profit in the last fiscal year, and employs about 40 people. Microsoft announced that the Mojang team would join its game studio, which is responsible titles like Halo, Forza, and Fable. The chief executive of the tech giant, Satya Nadella, said: Minecraft is more than an excellent game franchise. It is an open world platform, powered by a vibrant community we care deeply about, and rich with new opportunities for the community as well as for Microsoft. Opposition to the sale Mojang's founder, Markus Notch Persson has previously criticized Microsoft and told Reuters that the market for Windows phones was tiny and not worth the effort of developing apps for. Minecraft has a huge and enthusiastic cult following Many of them have expressed their anger at what they see as an attempt to take over an independent company that is spirited and community-oriented. Makes me sick and sad, wrote one user on a popular Minecraft forum. It would kill the gaming community, EvilBatsu added. Others expressed concern over the possibility of their talents being displayed by their fans. It will not only cost more to play the game, but it will also cause people to lose their jobs. Many people play Minecraft and upload it to YouTube as a way to earn money however, when Microsoft is the new owner, there will be copyright issues. Some gamers suggested that Microsoft could invest more money on expansions to the game and improvements. In an announcement, Microsoft said it would keep Minecraft across all its current platforms, with a commitment to nurture and expand it long into the future. https://proximal.org/ The company added that the acquisition was expected to be concluded at the end of 2014. In a statement that confirmed the deal on its website, Mojang reassured gamers, declaring: Please remember that the future of Minecraft and you - the community - are extremely important to everyone involved. Let this be the main thing you take away from this article. In regards to Microsoft, Mojang said: There are only few potential buyers with the resources to grow Minecraft on a scale that it is deserved. The company added that Notch has decided that he doesn't want to be a part of an enterprise of such global significance. Developer Notch on selling Minecraft: I've become an icon. I don't want to be a significator, responsible for something huge that I don't know, that I don't want to tackle and that is always coming back to me. I'm not an entrepreneur. I'm not a chief executive officer. You can read the entire statement here Why Minecraft? James McQuivey of analytics firm Forrester said that Minecraft is one of the most significant gaming properties in the world. Not only is it profitable, but it continues to grow in terms of profits even after its launch, largely because of the ardent player base that invests in the creation of their own Minecraft worlds. That helps explain why Microsoft would want Minecraft and would want to ensure it is always accessible on Microsoft's gaming platforms. Professor Mark Skilton from Warwick Business School said that the acquisition was about building a robust customer base for Microsoft. The online gaming industry is rapidly moving from niche collective enthusiast to mass market , and Minecraft is a sensible choice as large businesses follow the traffic numbers in the digital world. In the last month, Amazon bought Twitch, a site which allows users to watch other people play video games, for $970 million (PS597m). It's all about my mental health Microsoft is'set to purchase Minecraft' Microsoft completes Nokia phone deal Microsoft NPD Group
https://proximal.org/
