Minecraft Developer Mojang bought by Microsoft for $2.5bn

[Dat Matt]

https://mojang.com/2014/09/yes-were-being-bought-by-microsoft/

It's official, Minecraft is now owned by Microsoft. So, what now?

[Freya]

Even more merchandise.

Seriously, regardless of this buyout, my niece will still not stop talking about the game. She's getting this light for christmas.

http://a.tgcdn.net/images/products/frontsquare/1481_minecraft_light-up_diamond_block_fix.gif

Point is, it's still a VERY popular game and Microsoft wont ruin that. They'll try to capitalize on it more.

[Psychotic]

Suspect the PS3/4 versions are about to become obsolete.

[Bolivar]

Cannot underestimate how huge this is. There's a generation of gamers who will look back on Minecraft like we do Super Mario Bros.

[Endless]

Well...

59599

In the short term, it won't change anything. Mid term it means more merchandize, more crossovers with MS IP. Long term, hmmm...

[AssassinDX]

Long term I think it means eventual paid for and timed DLC, skins and other in-game content (on Xbox first, then PC later, then Playstation waaaay in the future, if at all).

My son is absolutely mad about Minecraft as well and he's not happy, even he understands the 'indie feel' to the game and how it all could change over time. It's a shame because when I was roughly his age when EA (a similar example here) bought out Bullfrog, Westwood Studios and Maxis it was great at the time - Theme Hospital, the C&C Red Alert games and The Sims were a direct result of those acquisitions but in the end they were all put to rest or ruined by EA - something he worries about for Minecraft.

Eventually all the staff are laid off or put on other projects, and then Minecraft 2 comes out that's received about as well as C&C 4 or SimCity 2013. Great series in their prime, ruined by the big corporation only in it for the money. It's something my son's 9 year old mind shouldn't have to deal with.

[Psychotic]

A lot of the stuff you guys are describing already exists! Minecraft is probably the most merchandised game right now. They've done plenty of crossovers with Microsoft such as Halo. DLC, skins and so on have been going for some while with Xbox already getting priority over the PS in terms of when it's released.


Have to say though ADX, completely agree with your EA analogy. God damnit you're breaking my heart by mentioning what happened. Why? :(

[Slothy]

Well done to Notch for essentially convincing Microsoft to let him rob them. He definitely got the better end of that deal since he's freed from the burden of managing Minecraft and can do whatever he wants now. Meanwhile Microsoft is basically just buying the future cash flows the game produces because they won't know how to properly follow it up, assuming reproducing its success is even possible to begin with. Plus they've lost the actual people who built the company so, yeah. They basically just bought Minecraft, and their history of purchasing popular developers and series is less than stellar so I doubt it'll ever be more than that for them.

Honestly, I'd say it wasn't the best use of $2.5 billion on their part, but again, Notch made out like a bandit and I like him a hell of a lot more than Microsoft so all's well that ends well.

[escobert]

From what I've read Microsoft was heavy into helping with the game as it was for the last 2 years or so.

And Notch stated he never had any intention of making a game this big and this influential and that was driving him nuts.

[Dat Matt]

I have no doubt that they'll make that money back on the Merchandising. The game iteself isn't going anywhere and will probably continue to sell, but the merchandise will branch out and be the main money bank.

In terms of Minecraft 2? Don't know really where it can go. It is essentially Lego and I'm sure you can build anything you want in the game so long as you can devote the time to it. Not too sure where you can go from "Here kid, go nuts and build what you want". I believe their will be a Minecraft 2 after this news, just don't know what it will bring to the table.

[Freya]

Yeah I just wasted money on skins and the mass effect skin/theme/whatever. They will still make the money for DLC as they already have been.

[edczxcvbnm]

Minecraft coming to Windows Phone only! What a great way to kick start your horrible phone market share!

[Slothy]

In terms of Minecraft 2? Don't know really where it can go. It is essentially Lego and I'm sure you can build anything you want in the game so long as you can devote the time to it. Not too sure where you can go from "Here kid, go nuts and build what you want".

Considering people make things like computers and 3D printers in Minecraft I'm really not sure where a sequel could go either. And a graphical upgrade would almost certainly be out of the question. I'm not sure Microsoft would know what to do without that option on the table.

[Colonel Angus]

4 words: Blue Screen of Death :grover:

[Sephex]

Minecraft coming to Windows Phone only! What a great way to kick start your horrible phone market share!

So when I see you next I am punching you in the face. I...I just think you should know that.

[Dr Unne]

They're going to replace Creepers with Ballmers.

[Rostum]

I couldn't care less for Minecraft, but I just wanted to say if I were Notch I'd be super proud of myself. Work hard to build something you love, and then make out with $2.5bn at the end of it all is freakin' amazing - I'd be so chuffed.

[Iceglow]

The irony of this is that now one of the biggest selling PSN titles will actually be a Microsoft game. So now the MS fanboys can shove that in Sony fanboy's faces and I'll get to laugh at the ensuring inability for them to argue otherwise. Apoplectic rage fits incoming

[Ayen]

When you realize the same sum of money could be used to fund a space program it really gets you thinking how wasteful Microsoft are with their money.

I agree with Vivi. Notch gets the better end of the deal here. You can pretty much retire and live off that kind of money. I've seen it theorized elsewhere that Microsoft may want to use the rights to make Minecraft versions of their games in the same manner people are doing with lego. Minecraft Halo!

[Psychotic]

Minecraft Halo!Already a thing. http://news.xbox.com/2014/05/games-minecraft-halo-mash-up

[Ergroilnin]

When you realize the same sum of money could be used to fund a space program it really gets you thinking how wasteful Microsoft are with their money.

While I agree much more money should go to all kinds of space related programs, it isn't really profitable. Not yet anyway, so they could either fund a space program and we would be like "cool" or they could buy Minecraft and make double that in merchandise.

They are company so I guess it's obvious why Minecraft won.

[Ayen]

When you realize the same sum of money could be used to fund a space program it really gets you thinking how wasteful Microsoft are with their money.

While I agree much more money should go to all kinds of space related programs, it isn't really profitable. Not yet anyway, so they could either fund a space program and we would be like "cool" or they could buy Minecraft and make double that in merchandise.

They are company so I guess it's obvious why Minecraft won.

Not really the point I was trying to make, but okay.

[Freya]

Profit, no. Space programs don't generate immediate profit. Instead it provides new technologies to improve our quality of life. Like (http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2008/tech_benefits.html)LED lights, Fire resistant material for structural building, enriched BABY food, computer advancements etc etc

Plus if they just get to freaking space already they can start mining the trout out of the solar system and profittttt $$$$$


Space.


Instead we'll waste that money on Minecraft cause you can build a blocky spaceship in it! :D