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Microsoft Set to Buy Minecraft's Developer Mojang, Say Reports

Microsoft set to buy Minecraft's developer Mojang, say reports By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor



According to reports, Microsoft is in negotiations to acquire Minecraft's video game studio.



According to reports, Mojang may sell for more than $2bn (PS1.2bn).



In June, the Swedish studio announced that it had sold around 54 million copies of its hit world-building game. It's been released on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 since then, thereby increasing sales.



Mojang's founder, Markus "Notch" Persson has previously publicly criticised Microsoft.



In the lead-up to the launch of the Windows 8 operating system, he had claimed that the company was "trying to destroy the PC as an open platform" because it had wanted to certify third-party titles prior to their release.



He was also an avid advocate for independent studios, declaring in 2012: "The more studios that can get rid of the publisher system and make games, the more games are created out of passion rather than profit."



Bloomberg news agency claims it was Mr Persson who was the one to "reach out" to Microsoft in the last month.



It was reported that a source suggested that if the deal went through Persson would be a part of the deal. Persson could help in the transition, but it was likely to leave afterward.



The New York Times reported that Persson was expected to leave within six months. However an individual who was briefed on discussions said that Persson would likely quit within six months. However, he said that Mojang wanted to retain its younger developers.



A spokesman for Microsoft said: "We don't comment on rumour and speculation."



Mojang also declined to comment. Mr Persson did not respond to BBC's questions.



Virtual world



Minecraft was first released in 2011, and has since grown to become the third-most popular game ever made and something of a popular culture.



London's Victoria and Albert Museum hosted an evening to explore its design culture. Lego has created spin-off toys, Ordnance Survey created a version for mainland Great Britain, and the government of Denmark has created an scale model.



The title is set in a virtual world comprised of cubes made from various materials, including dirt rock and lava. These cubes can be used to build blocks or be converted into usable raw materials.



The blocks can be used to build shelters or even weapons to defend themselves against the creatures like zombies and other zombies in the game.



They can also engage in huge construction projects in order to demonstrate their creative talents.
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One of the most recent examples was the creation of a functioning virtual hard drive.



Mojang has also worked on other titles, but they have either failed to meet the standards of Minecraft's success - such as the role-playing game (RPG) Scrolls - or been put on hold until completion - such as 0x10c, a space-themed game that Mr Persson was working on until last year.



'Worried gamers'



The Wall Street Journal was first to report on negotiations between Mojang and Microsoft in which they claimed that the deal could be finalised this week.



It was also noted that this would be the first multibillion dollar acquisition by Microsoft's chief executive, Satya Nadella, since he took charge of the company.



Harry Bradshaw, who interviewed Mr. Persson via Twitch said that a lot of gamers would be worried about the news.



He noted that there have been instances in the past when large corporations took another's game, and turned it into a massive money-flip to determine how much they could make."



"Gamers will naturally be worried about this.



"It is a mystery to me what the reason is Mojang is able to make a profit, considering that it is the most viewed PC game ever, and it sells thousands of copies per day."



One market analyst said that it was unlikely that Microsoft would pull existing Minecraft games off sale for the PlayStation, Mac, Android, Linux and other rival platforms.



He suggested that Microsoft's system could be preferred to the future of products.



Piers Harding-Rolls (lead games analyst at IHS) stated that Minecraft is one of the most important IPs [intellectual propertythat are in the gaming space that could be acquirable.



"The brand is able to last for the next 10 years,"



"So even though it's an expensive investment but it is still a good option for larger companies looking to get the exclusive rights to a highly-engaged franchise."



Minecraft maker shelves 0x10c games



19 August 2013



Minecraft creator attacks Windows



28 September 2012



Twitch



IHS



New York Times



Bloomberg



WSJ


Website: https://icdama.com/