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

Microsoft is preparing to purchase Minecraft's developer Mojang, say reports By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor



The video games studio behind Minecraft is in talks to be bought over by Microsoft according to reports.



It has been suggested that Mojang could sell for more than $2 billion (PS1.2bn).



The Swedish studio said it had sold 54 million copies of its world-building game in June. It has been released on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 since then, further increasing the number of copies sold.



Mojang's founder, Markus "Notch" Persson has previously been publicly critical of Microsoft.



Prior to the release of the Windows 8 operating system, He had claimed that the company was "trying to ruin the PC as an open platform" because it had wanted to approve third-party software prior to their release.



He was also an avid supporter of independent studios, declaring in 2012 that: "The more studios that can remove themselves from the publisher system and make games, the more games will be made out of passion, not for profits."



But, according to Bloomberg news agency, it was Mr Persson who "reached out" to Microsoft just a few months ago.



According to the source, Persson would assist with the transition if the deal was approved. However, it's unlikely that Persson will stay on after the deal is concluded.



The New York Times also stated that a source briefed on the talks had said that Mr. Persson was likely to leave within six months, but added that Mojang wanted to hang on to its younger developers.



A spokesperson for Microsoft said: "We don't comment on speculation and rumours."



Mojang also declined to make a statement. The BBC's questions were not addressed by Mr. Persson.



Virtual world



Minecraft was first released in 2011 and has since become the third-most popular game of all time and has become an international phenomenon.



The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has hosted an evening that looked at the design culture of the city, Lego has made spin-off toys, Ordnance Survey has created a version of mainland Great Britain within the game and Denmark's government has constructed an exact model of the country.



The story is set in a virtual world made up of cubes made of various materials, including dirt and rock. The majority of them can be used as building blocks, or refined into usable raw materials.



The blocks can be used to construct shelters or to make weapons to defend themselves against the zombies and other creatures of the game.



They can also be involved in large-scale construction projects to show off their creativity.



One example of extremes was the creation of virtual hard drives that could be used for work.
Log-design.com


Mojang has worked on a variety of games, but they've either failed to meet the standards of Minecraft's success - like the role-playing game (RPG) Scrolls - or been put on hold until completion - such as 0x10c, which is a space-themed title that Mr. Persson had been working on up until last year.



'Worried gamers'



The Wall Street Journal first reported talks between Mojang, Microsoft and that they could end this week.



It was also mentioned that this would be the first multibillion-dollar acquisition by Satya Nadella (Microsoft's chief executive) since he assumed control of the company.



Harry Bradshaw, who interviewed Mr Persson via Twitch, stated that many gamers would be worried about the news.



"There have been instances in the past of huge corporations taking someone else's game and transform it into a huge money-making scheme, just to see what they can get out of it," he said.



"Gamers are naturally concerned about this.



"And I am still unsure what the reason is Mojang would sell up when it's the most popular PC game ever and still sells thousands of copies a day."



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



However, he added that Microsoft's various systems might be preferred when it comes to future products.



"Minecraft is among the top IPs (intellectual property) within the gaming industry that is potentially acquirable," said Piers Harding-Rolls the lead games analyst at the consultancy IHS.



"The brand has the potential to continue growth over the next 10 years,"



"So even though it is a high-priced investment, it still has value for larger companies that want to get the exclusive rights to a highly-engaged franchise."



Minecraft maker shelves 0x10c game



19 August 2013



Twitch



IHS



New York Times



Bloomberg



WSJ


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