WSJ: ''Mojang to be bought by Microsoft'

Kinda funny that Microsoft might buy Mojang when Rare was doing something similar years before Minecraft.

banjo-4nuttyacres.jpg


Actually, vehicle creation in a Minecraft game would be interesting.
 
WooHooAlex said:
If Minecraft 2 came out exclusively for Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows Phone tho... Who would play it? I feel like everyone would just stick with Minecraft 1 to be honest.
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Yeah, everyone would just ignore the sequel to one of the greatest selling most popular games of all time.

Makes perfect sense.
 
EdReedFan20 said:
From that Bloomberg article, it sounds like nothing will really change in terms of platforms. Minecraft will still be available on rival platforms. If I'm reading this correct (and if I am, I'm impressed with Microsoft here), Microsoft is acting as a third-party publisher in this case. The only change is Microsoft reaps the benefits of all the sales. I'm curious if this is due to Mojang puting a clause in the contract that Minecraft mustn't be removed from rivals or if MS realizes that making Minecraft XBOX exclusive would have cut out a lot of potential revenue.
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Obviously MS probably has plans beyond just Minecraft 1. I wouldn't take whatever they are doing now as an indication of what they will do later. MS has lots of different hardware and they will use Minecraft to push it...eventually.
 
BronsonLee said:
This has probably come up in the thread before, but the educational purposes of Minecraft also seem to be growing. If Microsoft puts that in every classroom...*print all the money*

The whole point of this sale would be to turn Minecraft into a ubiquitous platform, available on absolutely everything. And I mean everything.
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It already is on everything, i mean literally everything except for Microsoft mobile platforms. Also, schools aren't going to move to a Microsoft tablet. I know Microsoft has big goals for their tablets and phones, but that's all they are, and the only reason they can even try to compete in these markets is because people and businesses need Windows and Office.
 
Naughty_Doge said:
So, is Notch leaving after the deal is done?
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Not likely. In the Rare deal I believe the founders were forced to stay around for a few years. It appears all they did was sit with their thumbs up their ass. But if you are going to buy a studio, chances are MS will offer huge incentives for key talent to stick around.
 
Disgusting waste of money if true could fund hundreds of exclusive games for that kind of money from a mix of large and indie studios. The "investment" will never pay for itself.
 
Guevara said:
shockingly, he might be leaving pretty soon

While Mr. Persson is said to accept that he may not stay for more than six months if a deal is struck, Mojang is pressing to try to ensure that Microsoft retains its younger developers.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09...-be-in-advanced-talks-to-buy-minecraft-maker/​

This would be extremely bone-headed by Microsoft
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Lol, what?! Thanks for the link, Guevara. Jesus that'd be a terrible idea!

Banfield said:
It already is on everything, i mean literally everything except for Microsoft mobile platforms. Also, schools aren't going to move to a Microsoft tablet. I know Microsoft has big goals for their tablets and phones, but that's all they are, and the only reason they can even try to compete in these markets is because people and businesses need Windows and Office.
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Lots of schools don't use tablets. And they wouldn't lock it down like that. It'd be a platform, not unlike Office, just mainly for educational purposes.
 
They seem to be going after famous gaming brands. I would not be surprised if they bought Capcom and Eidios as well. Bolstering their first party line up in the process.
 
C4Lukins said:
Not likely. In the Rare deal I believe the founders were forced to stay around for a few years. It appears all they did was sit with their thumbs up their ass. But if you are going to buy a studio, chances are MS will offer huge incentives for key talent to stick around.
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Did you not read the articles? He's likely out in 6 months.
 
Wow $2 BILLION!

I would take the money and run.
Screw developing minecraft further.

Just buy some small tropical island and relax for the rest of my life.
 
shandy706 said:
Yeah, everyone would just ignore the sequel to one of the greatest selling most popular games of all time.

Makes perfect sense.
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I'm not saying it would be ignored, it would sell incredibly well, but how many people will trade in their iPhone to get a Windows phone, just so they can play Minecraft 2... I'd have to think its a small percentage.
 
Hindle said:
They seem to be going after famous gaming brands. I would not be surprised if they bought Capcom and Eidios as well. Bolstering their first party line up in the process.
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You want them to buy square enix and capcom?

What aim does that serve?
 
web01 said:
Disgusting waste of money if true could fund hundreds of exclusive games for that kind of money from a mix of large and indie studios. The "investment" will never pay for itself.
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I don't understand posts like.
This purchase isn't taking anything away from the development of other exclusive games.
According to NYT, the money comes from a separate overseas fund...
By the standards of Microsoft, which had nearly $86 billion in cash and short-term investments at the end of June, a $2 billion-plus deal would be relatively small. Because Mojang is a European company, Microsoft would be able to use cash from overseas operations to fund the deal, a more attractive prospect than bringing the cash back to the United States where it would be subject to hefty repatriation taxes.
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web01 said:
Disgusting waste of money if true could fund hundreds of exclusive games for that kind of money from a mix of large and indie studios. The "investment" will never pay for itself.
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All of sudden people want to play these 100's of new games on the less powerful Xbox One. Right.
 
Would be neat if they were more proactive with it. Vanilla Minecraft needs a shot in its ass, I wouldn't play it without mod suites. If Microsoft can make more use of the license than just porting it around and collecting cash then it works for me. So, I guess well just have to see.
 
Silky said:
Popcap is very successful under EA?
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If you call big cuts and closing down one of their offices a success...




All the Mario talk...

It's not a 1:1 comparison since Nintendo actually has quality staff and more than just one successful IP, but what if MS bought the Mario IP from Nintendo for 2 billion dollars on the basis that it was big with kids, had movie and cartoon spin offs and cross over potential, and MS intended to make use of the Mario brand well into 2020.

Would be a bad idea because Mario's popularity is waning, right?
 
Hindle said:
They seem to be going after famous gaming brands. I would not be surprised if they bought Capcom and Eidios as well. Bolstering their first party line up in the process.
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Considering the recent output of Square and Capcom, I would only buy them for the IP, and then close down the studios and get new talent to work on them.
 
Nethaniah said:
Mario as a brand means nothing atm.
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My 5 - 8 year old nieces and nephews love Mario, Peach, etc.

My friends and coworkers in their 30s are interested in Mario Kart 8, 3D World, but not the Wii U. If it were on XB1 or PS4 they would buy those games in a heartbeat. Mario is fine, the Wii brand is the problem. The Wii brand was dead long before the Wii U came out.
 
WooHooAlex said:
If Minecraft 2 came out exclusively for Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows Phone tho... Who would play it? I feel like everyone would just stick with Minecraft 1 to be honest.
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Well I said only "console" so I believe there will be a PC release as well. That may very well be the case, but I feel that you're underestimating the strength of the Minecraft brand to a certain subset of gamer. A big Minecraft fan would buy an Xbox One solely to play a Minecraft 2. It's like Souls fans getting a PS4 solely because Bloodborne is an exclusive. Although this would be on a possibly much larger scale since it's a vastly bigger IP.

I doubt it would be very limiting to the brand because the great majority of the sales of the original came from PC/Xbox/Mobile, which will all probably receive a release. Microsoft's marketing and potential licensing can also perhaps take the brand to even greater heights.
 
Ghost_Messiah said:
All I want to add is that as I stated in the Rise Of The Tomb Raider exclusivity announcement thread this move (although not a hundred percent confirmed yet) along with future moves that are almost certain to come are indicative of a Microsoft that's willing to fight back against Sony by using it's primary strength which is opening its wallet and firing cash torpedoes. Microsoft stance since the original Xbox has always been to compete using their financial power and essentially out muscle other companies by pure force of financial will. Back when they started out they threw money at Sega for exclusive games. They bought Rare. Now they're backed into a corner this strategy has returned only now it's in overdrive because Microsoft is getting so consistently defeated by Sony across the world and more importantly in their previous stronghold of North America.

The real news here is to expect more financially aggressive moves like this in the near future and across this entire generation. They're fighting back and making it known.
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Completely agree and it depresses me. More, and bigger, money hats are coming.
 
Zuhzuhzombie!! said:
All the Mario talk...

It's not a 1:1 comparison since Nintendo actually has quality staff and more than just one successful IP, but what if MS bought the Mario IP from Nintendo for 2 billion dollars on the basis that it was big with kids, had movie and cartoon spin offs and cross over potential, and MS intended to make use of the Mario brand well into 2020.

Would be a bad idea because Mario's popularity is waning, right?
Click to expand...

Would be a bad idea because it's very questionable if they could maintain the quality of the Mario video games, which has been a major factor why the brand has lasted as long as it has. I guess we would get big budget Mario games again though, that would be interesting. Open world? Probably. Online multiplayer too.
 
This is megaton, espically if it happens.

This shouldn't happen.

Have you seen what they did to Rare? So what happens when Minecraft fades out and the next big thing comes along, is this really a sound investment?
 
Loch Doun said:
I don't understand posts like.
This purchase isn't taking anything away from the development of other exclusive games.
According to NYT, the money comes from a separate overseas fund...
Click to expand...

Still seems like a waste regardless where it comes from. Even if they made "Minecraft 2" and a bunch of other spin offs and merchandise that is a huge amount of money to try and recoup. I do not think they can recapture the success again of what was a huge mainstream gaming / social phenomenon. Good luck to Notch though he will be laughing all the way to the bank (again) if true.

miDnIghtEr20C said:
All of sudden people want to play these 100's of new games on the less powerful Xbox One. Right.
Click to expand...

I am not even sure what your trying to say or what your point is.
 
Hindle said:
They seem to be going after famous gaming brands. I would not be surprised if they bought Capcom and Eidios as well. Bolstering their first party line up in the process.
Click to expand...

I hope they dont buy out Eidos. I would hate to see them possibly die like RARE.
 
Purchasing Majong and Tomb Raider does little to create value to the industry.

At least Nintendo makes projects happen that wouldn't happen without their input.

I can see investing in young talent to grow them in the way Sony did, but they aren't really even doing that.

Microsoft just strikes me as desperate.
And unfortunately, they are making moves that really aren't pushing the industry forward.
 
Ghost_Messiah said:
All I want to add is that as I stated in the Rise Of The Tomb Raider exclusivity announcement thread this move (although not a hundred percent confirmed yet) along with future moves that are almost certain to come are indicative of a Microsoft that's willing to fight back against Sony by using it's primary strength which is opening its wallet and firing cash torpedoes. Microsoft stance since the original Xbox has always been to compete using their financial power and essentially out muscle other companies by pure force of financial will. Back when they started out they threw money at Sega for exclusive games. They bought Rare. Now they're backed into a corner this strategy has returned only now it's in overdrive because Microsoft is getting so consistently defeated by Sony across the world and more importantly in their previous stronghold of North America.

The real news here is to expect more financially aggressive moves like this in the near future and across this entire generation. They're fighting back and making it known.
Click to expand...

As someone that will own all 3 at some point, I find that very, very exciting. :)
 
RadarScope1 said:
Completely agree and it depresses me. More, and bigger, money hats are coming.
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How much bigger can you get from 2 billion? How much money does MS even have to throw around like this?

SenjutsuSage said:
As someone that will own all 3 at some point, I find that very, very exciting. :)
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Why? They aren't actively funding anything new with this. Apparently its just for a mobile port and to cash in on royalties. What new comes of this? Them funding indie games or AAA games like sunset overdrive or anything else would be better news IMO.
 
You guys are focused on what this means for Microsoft, but let's not lose sight of the big picture.

This is a death sentence for Minecraft. Dead franchise walking. They'll suck the life out of it and it will fade into oblivion.

And when all the joy and fun has been wrung out of the game, we'll find Mojang in a shallow grave with a bullet in the back of the head.
 
Microsofts strategy to win back gamers who were upset with their business practices:
Make it so consumers have to bedrugingly purchase your system to play the games you used to play on other platforms.

If they can't be the system to own multiplats on, then they will simply have to make sure their system is the only platform for the games you want to play.
 
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