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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 discussions to buy Minecraft, the video games studio behind Minecraft.



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



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



Markus "Notch," Persson, the founder of Mojang has previously criticised Microsoft.



He claimed that Microsoft was trying to "destroy the Windows 8 operating platform as an open platform" by certifying third-party titles prior to its release.



He had also been a vocal supporter of independent studios, saying in 2012 that: "The more studios that can remove themselves from the publisher system, the more games that will be made out of love rather than for profit."



Bloomberg news agency reports that it was Mr Persson that "reachout" at Microsoft a few months back.



According to the report, a source indicated that Persson would help with the transition if it went through. However, it was unlikely that Persson would stay on afterward.



The New York Times reported also that a person briefed about the talks had said Mr Persson was likely to leave within six-months, but 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. BBC asked Mr Persson but he did not respond.



Virtual world



Minecraft was originally released in 2011 and has since been a cultural phenomenon.



London's Victoria and Albert Museum hosted an evening to explore its design culture. Lego has made spinoff toys, Ordnance Survey created a version for mainland Great Britain in the game, and Denmark has built a scale model.



The title is set within a virtual world that contains cubes made of different materials such as dirt, rock, and lava. Most of these can be used as building blocks and/or refined into usable raw materials.



You can use the blocks as weapons and shelter to defend your character against the game’s zombies.



They can also take part in large-scale construction projects to show off their creativity.



One extreme example was the creation of a virtual hard drive that could be used for work.
My cms


Mojang has worked on other titles, but they have either fallen short of Minecraft's success - such as the role-playing game (RPG) Scrolls - or been shelved before completion - such as 0x10c, a space-themed game that Mr Persson had been working on until last year.



'Worried gamers'



The Wall Street Journal reported the first news about negotiations between Mojang (China) and Microsoft. They claimed that the deal could be completed this week.



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



Harry Bradshaw, who has interviewed Mr Persson on the Twitch video site, said that many gamers would be concerned by the news.



He said that there have been instances in the past where big corporations took someone else's game, and turned it into a huge money-flip to see how much they can make,"



"Gamers will naturally have concerns about this.



"It is a mystery to me why Mojang would make a sale, considering that it is the most popular PC game ever and still sells thousands per day."



One market watcher stated that it was unlikely that Microsoft would remove existing Minecraft games from the sale on the PlayStation, Mac and Android, Linux, or other rival platforms.



However, he added that Microsoft's various systems might be given preference when it came to future products.



Piers Harding Rolls of IHS, the lead games analyst, said that Minecraft is one of the top IPs [intellectual assets] in the gaming space that could be acquirable.



"The brand has the potential for continued growth over the next ten years,"



"So, as an investment – even one at a very expensive price – it still represents something worth to larger companies who are looking for exclusivity around highly-engaged franchisors."



Minecraft maker shelves 0x10c game



19 August 2013



Minecraft creator attacks Windows



28 September 2012



Twitch



IHS



New York Times



Bloomberg



WSJ


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