4 ms·

Microsoft now owns Minecraft

38 points by beshrkayali 12y ago

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
- beshrkayali 12y ago
  I just think that it's kind of funny how, so suddenly, a generation of young builders/players became tied in to M$.
- buster 12y ago
  Well, Notch (and the other 2 founders) are leaving Mojang. I have no idea whatsoever why MS paid that amount of money. I congratulate Notch, though. Shall he have much fun with his share!
  - brudgers 12y ago
    In the US, Minecraft is huge among boys born around the millennium. I have no idea about other demographics, but is one to which I have direct access. This is also the generation that is likely to have had an Xbox 360 or Wii as their first console experience...or at least as a major one. For a company with the revenue of MicroSoft, this is a reasonable investment in the possibility of a potentially huge increase in mindshare among an important long-term demographic. Just the database alone might be worth the purchase price.
  - ctdonath 12y ago
    Minecraft has some 100,000,000 users with 14% of them paid versions. If Microsoft can elicit just $25 from each user, they break even. That's not just from straight sales, that includes "sticky ecosystem" money (somebody might not pay for Minecraft outright, but may buy an Xbox and related games/gear as a consequence) and brand licensing ("pixelated" foam costumes & swords, books, other inane paraphernalia). If we assume just 14% of users pay game-related costs, break-even comes at $180 each (which still isn't that high considering entry cost + monthly server + upgrades). Sounds like a sensible move, if they don't screw it up. They may be able to improve the franchise by raising standards for infrastructure & participation. Yeah, Notch is certainly at the "take the money and run" stage. There won't be another chance at $1B cash.
Hortinstein 12y ago
I look forward to seeing notch's announcement on his blog. Semi-depressing, but it should be interesting to see how this plays out. As an alpha purchaser in 2010, i hope they still honor the lifetime updates promised.
- dom96 12y ago
  Looks like he's leaving Mojang: http://notch.net/2014/09/im-leaving-mojang/ http://notch.net/2014/09/im-leaving-mojang/
anon4 12y ago
The term Micro$haft seems oddly appropriate for this.
- jacquesm 12y ago
  I think most people voting you down missed the wordplay.
  - anon4 12y ago
    If I cared about downvotes I wouldn't post on HN :P
jeeva 12y ago
"Microsoft Studios includes 343 Industries, Turn 10 Studios, and Lionhead Studios just to name a few." Ouch.
- skrebbel 12y ago
  Care to elaborate?
  - hartator 12y ago
    I think he wants to say that now Lionhead Studios is dead. After awesome hits like Black & White since Microsoft took over they don't release great names anymore. B&W 2 was a deception so maybe Minecraft 2 is going to be one again.
    - koffiezet 12y ago
      The Fable series is pretty damn good :)
- Discordian93 12y ago
  Don't forget about poor, poor Rare... Edit: remembered this, http://www.p4rgaming.com/mojang-prepares-to-make-kinect-sports-games/ http://www.p4rgaming.com/mojang-prepares-to-make-kinect-spor... p4r is gold.
  - anon4 12y ago
    >acclaimed hit series Kinect Sports Ahahah. That article is golden.
mlatu 12y ago
hm, i always thought minecraft would someday be open sourced..
- Discordian93 12y ago
  In fact notch has stated several times that he would open source it when it stopped being profitable. But I guess a 2.5 billion buyout rules out unprofitability.

38 points by beshrkayali 12y ago

deleted 12y ago

[deleted]

beshrkayali 12y ago
I just think that it's kind of funny how, so suddenly, a generation of young builders/players became tied in to M$.
buster 12y ago
Well, Notch (and the other 2 founders) are leaving Mojang. I have no idea whatsoever why MS paid that amount of money. I congratulate Notch, though. Shall he have much fun with his share!
- brudgers 12y ago
  In the US, Minecraft is huge among boys born around the millennium. I have no idea about other demographics, but is one to which I have direct access. This is also the generation that is likely to have had an Xbox 360 or Wii as their first console experience...or at least as a major one. For a company with the revenue of MicroSoft, this is a reasonable investment in the possibility of a potentially huge increase in mindshare among an important long-term demographic. Just the database alone might be worth the purchase price.
- ctdonath 12y ago
  Minecraft has some 100,000,000 users with 14% of them paid versions. If Microsoft can elicit just $25 from each user, they break even. That's not just from straight sales, that includes "sticky ecosystem" money (somebody might not pay for Minecraft outright, but may buy an Xbox and related games/gear as a consequence) and brand licensing ("pixelated" foam costumes & swords, books, other inane paraphernalia). If we assume just 14% of users pay game-related costs, break-even comes at $180 each (which still isn't that high considering entry cost + monthly server + upgrades). Sounds like a sensible move, if they don't screw it up. They may be able to improve the franchise by raising standards for infrastructure & participation. Yeah, Notch is certainly at the "take the money and run" stage. There won't be another chance at $1B cash.

Hortinstein 12y ago

I look forward to seeing notch's announcement on his blog. Semi-depressing, but it should be interesting to see how this plays out. As an alpha purchaser in 2010, i hope they still honor the lifetime updates promised.

dom96 12y ago
Looks like he's leaving Mojang: http://notch.net/2014/09/im-leaving-mojang/ http://notch.net/2014/09/im-leaving-mojang/

anon4 12y ago

The term Micro$haft seems oddly appropriate for this.

jacquesm 12y ago
I think most people voting you down missed the wordplay.
- anon4 12y ago
  If I cared about downvotes I wouldn't post on HN :P

jeeva 12y ago

"Microsoft Studios includes 343 Industries, Turn 10 Studios, and Lionhead Studios just to name a few." Ouch.

skrebbel 12y ago
Care to elaborate?
- hartator 12y ago
  I think he wants to say that now Lionhead Studios is dead. After awesome hits like Black & White since Microsoft took over they don't release great names anymore. B&W 2 was a deception so maybe Minecraft 2 is going to be one again.
  - koffiezet 12y ago
    The Fable series is pretty damn good :)
Discordian93 12y ago
Don't forget about poor, poor Rare... Edit: remembered this, http://www.p4rgaming.com/mojang-prepares-to-make-kinect-sports-games/ http://www.p4rgaming.com/mojang-prepares-to-make-kinect-spor... p4r is gold.
- anon4 12y ago
  >acclaimed hit series Kinect Sports Ahahah. That article is golden.

mlatu 12y ago

hm, i always thought minecraft would someday be open sourced..

Discordian93 12y ago
In fact notch has stated several times that he would open source it when it stopped being profitable. But I guess a 2.5 billion buyout rules out unprofitability.