Notes

Minecraft Creator on Microsoft Deal: 'It's all about My Sanity'

Minecraft creator on Microsoft deal: 'It's all about my mental health'



After it was announced that Microsoft was buying Minecraft developer Mojang for $2.5bn (PS1.5bn), the Swedish developer behind the title Markus Persson - known as Notch published his own personal statement regarding the acquisition. We have reproduced it in full below:



I'm leaving Mojang



I don't consider myself to be a game developer. I create games for fun, and because I love games and I am a programmer however, I don't design games with the goal of them becoming huge hit and I don't attempt to change the world.



Minecraft definitely became a massive success and people are saying it's changed games. I never intended to change anything in the first place. It's flatteringand interesting to slowly get in the spotlight.



A long time ago, I made the choice to quit Minecraft development. Jens was the perfect person to lead it and I was looking for new things. In the beginning, I failed in my attempt to create something massive again but since I've chose to stick with small prototypes and interesting challenges, I've had so lots of fun at work.



Although I wasn't certain how I would fit in to Mojang, where actual work was conducted, people told me I was important to the culture, and I decided to stay.



I was at home with a bad cold a couple of weeks ago when the internet went wild with rage against me because of some kind of EULA situation which I had nothing to do with. I was confused. I didn't understand. I tweeted this in frustration.



Later, I watched the This is Phil Fish YouTube video and realized that I didn't feel as connected I thought I had with my fans. I've become a symbol. I don't want to be an object of ridicule. I don't want be responsible for something that I don't understand. That I don’t want to do anything about. I'm not an entrepreneur. I'm not a CEO. The More You Know The More You Don't Know I'm a nerdy computer programmer who likes to have opinions on Twitter.



After the deal is concluded and signed, I'll leave Mojang to return to web-based experiments and Ludum Dares. If I happen to create something that appears to gain momentum, I'll probably end it right away.



Given that the public image of me already is a bit skewed I don't think I'll avoid negative feedback by doing this but at least I won't have a need to read them.



This is contrary to my public statements. I have no good response to that. I am also aware that a lot of you have used me as a symbol for the perceived struggle. I'm not. I'm a person and I'm struggling with you.



You are my best friend. Everyone of you. Thank you for creating Minecraft what it is today. There are just too many of us, and I cannot be responsible for something as huge as Minecraft. It's Microsoft's property in a certain sense. In a larger sense, it's been owned by everyone for a long time, and that won't change.



It's not all about the money. It's about my mental health.


Homepage: https://hypedpvp.net/