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!