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[MisterArrogant]

Selling out to Facebook = Creepy
Selling out to MS = Okay

Ok there Notch.

I was thinking the same thing. I'm surprised he hasn't denied it on twitter yet if the rumor is bullshit though.

 

[toddhunter]

Yeah I just don't get it. Why wait til now, when it's on competitors' systems?

So you can make Minecraft 2 exclusive. Same thing, updated graphics, weekly DLC, crossover to halo something or other, added facebook integration and appearances by your favourite nfl players in game!

You know, so Microsoft can make it their own. Sure it would cost a lot of money, but Microsoft have a shitload of that too.

 

[Nabs]

This is so funny to me. Oh man.

 

[I-hate-u]

Doesn't anyone have the patience to not sell their startup company these days?

Shit's becoming so cyberpunk.

1.) Microsoft would corner the youth demographic, the one demographic that they've had a hard time to get.

2.) Notch would be fucking loaded with all that dosh.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Is MS buying this to capitalize on the existing Minecraft mulitplatform market, or will they cut off the non Xbox versions of the game? Cause if its the latter, I think its a bad idea for both parties.

 

[alr1ght]

Just sell them the Minecraft IP.

 

[Maintenance]

How do you even make a new Minecraft?

Kill support on the old one. Add features on the new one. Voilà.

 

[Jomjom]

As much as it would go against what he (seemingly) stands for, I can understand why Notch would do it. That's serious money, and he could dick around and do little pet projects with a team of a few people for forever. Microsoft, though, I don't get. True, they would own Minecraft, but I assume that game has already made most of the money it will make. Is a potential Minecraft 2 really worth $2 billion? How do you even make a new Minecraft?

Huh? The game is still on the top 10 every single month.

 

[Exuro]

How do you even make a new Minecraft?

Not in java would be a nice upgrade.

 

[shinobi602]

Could be a smart move. The Minecraft brand name is massive...slowing down support on the old game while funding a new game and making it exclusive to Xbox/Windows mobile and shit could be a profitable endeavor.

 

[GazzaScotland]

After the craziness with the Twitch buyout this doesn't seem as crazy. Well its crazy but anything can happen.

From a brand point of view it makes sense though. The amount of Minecraft merch is silly these days.

 

[DeadlyParasite]

 

[NinjaCarrot]

And look how it crashed and burned, compared to King and etc.

exactly!

 

[Deadstar]

So this is why minecraft on the ps4 doesn't show me my $4.99 price even after owning the ps3 version.

If this means Oculus support for Minecraft I'm in.

 

[wrowa]

Wow. That would be huge and also kind of a questionable value. Mojang is huge, no argument here, but I'm not sure if Minecraft can further extend its reach if limited to Microsoft. It's also questionabe if Majong has a second Minecraft-like hit in them - and, actually, it always made the impression that he loved his studio's independence and the knowledge that he doesn't HAVE to follow-up with a game of Minecraft's appeal -, but if Microsoft is about to sign a deal they probably have seen quite a lot of stuff to make that decision.

 

[CaptainTiptop]

Better buy Minecraft PS3/PS4 before it vanishes, I guess.

 

[bryehn]

People understimate the value of a succesful IP. They are super popular with kids. They can make minecraft 2, exclusive for MS platforms. Minecraft sidescrollers, minecraft racing, etc.

Minecraft is equivalent of SMB for a new generation.

Plus all the merchandise and license fees from other platforms if they decide to put certain games (spin-offs mainly) on them.

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

I doubt this goes through.

If it did though, would MS allow Minecraft to continue being sold on PlayStation?

 

[killatopak]

woah.

 

[Tevos]

Didn't see that coming. What an odd company to invest so much money in. They have Minecraft...and....minecraft.

And even then, interest is bound to die off sometime :/

 

[HighResTomato]

Microsoft pls. Don't.

Mojang isn't worth it, add a zero to that 2 and buy Nintendo.

Spoiler

Just kidding.

 

[Hubble]

And people say Microsoft isn't serious to investing in the Xbox and gaming?

MEGA Mega news. Minecraft is the biggest game worldwide.

I think it's a poor move though. Another Nokia deal. MS will spend too much on this deal and get little in return.

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

Notch is rich as fuck. Why would he sell the company?

The richer you are the more money you want.

 

[Blue Ninja]

Aren't they the guys making Elder Scrolls? Megaton

 

[Linkified]

To cash out?

I'm surprised it took this long.

But MS arrived late to the party since Minecraft is already on PS4, could they somehow make the game unavailable?

Nope not really, but Microsoft may be looking at all that nice licensing money from Lego and the like and if they let Mojang be Mojang that Licensing money will still roll in.

 

[Ferrio]

Notch is rich as fuck. Why would he sell the company?

Psychonauts 2?

 

[Delusibeta]

It's basically the same logic Zynga used when they bought out OMGPOP: massively successful IP, surely they can make another one, right? The problem with the logic is also exactly the same: the IP in question is about at its peak revenue and the company will never be able to catch lightning twice (anyone remember Scrolls?). Notch is a smart man, he probably knows that Mojang won't ever top Minecraft, and two billion dollars is absolutely absurd money for effectively the Minecraft IP. I would imagine if Microsoft is really offering two billion dollars, Notch would take the money and run.

 

[Palette Swap]

This is a rumour that has circulated around the City a few times already, just like the Amazon buying Xbox rumours I don't think they have much credibility. The asking price is just too high and Minecraft is already out on a whole host of non-Xbox/Windows platforms, too much of their revenue is tied up on platforms not controlled by MS.

The only reason in favour is basically that MS have a lot of cash floating around in their European operation that they don't want to repatriate to the US which means they may decide to invest it in Europe and overpay for Mojang just like they overpaid for Skype.

The other possibility is that someone from MS told WSJ they are going to buy the developer of Minecraft on Xbox which means 4J and there is a mix up. I could definitely see MS being interested in 4J, they have a history of working together and it would definitely put Sony in a bind over continued support for Minecraft on PS.

But 4J definitely wouldn't be a $2B transaction.
Then again, someone might have made up a figure down the road.

 

[Herbspiceguy]

Dude realises he's never going to top Minecraft and seems to have lost the creativity/passion to create new games.
May as well sell it while it's hot.
I'll also say he lacks the talent to scout/publish actual good/promising games for his Mojang brand.

 

[Liha]

Can Minecraft 2 save the X1? gz Notch well deserved

 

[Tregard]

I can't even think what use this would be, would Microsoft really stand to earn that much back from just the Minecraft IP alone at this stage? I doubt they could get Mojang working on Minecraft 2.

I just want them to get back to work on 0x10c

 

[Veritigo_X]

Microsoft bought Skype and Skype is still on Vita. I'm sure they wouldn't pull Minecraft, but no Sony platform would get a sequel.

In fact, Microsoft bought Skype before the Vita even came out.

 

[MCD]

Minecraft is a one hit wonder...there is no guarantee that a sequel or another project from notch would turn out the same.

plus, what use buying it now when it's on every console sans nintendo's?

 

[BennyBlanco]

I hope this happens. That's 2 billion MS can't spend poaching a studio I actually care about.

 

[DopeyFish]

i think MS would be banking on a huge upswing of people wanting to play Minecraft when they hit next gen

Remember we are only hitting 20 million sales out of 250 million+ from last gen.

This would be to sway the casuals, if i were to guess

 

[FinalStageBoss]

This thing(minecraft) is in the top 10 every month. They don't need to sell.

 

[Nanashrew]

And I just bought it again on PS4. Welp.

RIP Vita version.

I believe he would still be under some form of contract to do the Vita version.

Think of it like Psygnosis. Wipeout 64 was under contract from Nintendo but during the development Sony bought them out. Any sequel or future games from Psygnosis was Sony's property thereafter.

 

[Delta Assault]

Marvel and Star Wars were both bought for around 3 billion. And this would be worth over 2 billion. Jesus Christ.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Step 1. Criticizes Oculus harshly when they sold out to Facebook for $2B.
Step 2. Sold out to Microsoft for $2B.
Step 3. ??
Step 4. Profit!

 

[Tempesta di Fuoco]

In fact, Microsoft bought Skype before the Vita even came out.

An app is a little different than a video game franchise that will sell consoles.

 

[Tempy]

I can see why Notch would sell it. $2B is nothing to sneeze at.

I just don't know what MS can do to keep Minecraft popular for years to come.

 

[Gestault]

Minecraft is a one hit wonder...there is no guarantee that a sequel or another project from notch would turn out the same.

plus, what use buying it now when it's on every console sans nintendo's?

Because they'd be making profit from the ongoing sales for every system sans Nintendo's?

I can see why Notch would sell it. $2B is nothing to sneeze at.

I just don't know what MS can do to keep Minecraft popular for years to come.

They'd need to put just as much money into promoting it as Mojang did.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

Sweet, buy Rovio next. Nothing like getting in on the ground floor!

 

[Alx]

Doesn't anyone have the patience to not sell their startup company these days?.

Most startups are created with the intent of being bought by a big company early in their development, because exploiting innovative products quickly requires a good amount of cash. It makes sense for the oculus rift for example.
With that said, it wasn't the case of Mojang, which managed to gather enough cash to feed the company for ten years last I heard.

 

[TyrantII]

Buying studios doesn't work usually.

When the suits hit the pavement, the creative people and the business movers and shakers tend to walk instead of adjusting to the new culture being brought down from the top.

After they take a huge pay day and CV buff of course.

 

[KZObsessed]

$2 Billion...

Crazy

 

[Jomjom]

Could be a smart move. The Minecraft brand name is massive...slowing down support on the old game while funding a new game and making it exclusive to Xbox/Windows mobile and shit could be a profitable endeavor.

Yup definitely a smart move if this happens. MS has been trying to fix their PR and change their message to a "we care about the gamer" just like Sony to compete with Sony. You can't beat the leader by copying the leader.

In any case, Sony's strategy is born out of not having any money to do much other than messaging. MS has a near infinite warchest and it's time they started competing with Sony in a way Sony has no answer to. MS changing their message means that Sony can just react quicker and come up with an even better message. MS pulling out its enormous wallet and buying anything and everything leaves Sony sitting there with its empty pockets turned inside out and scratching its head.

 

[Alienous]

I don't want to ruin this. I love nothing more than to see dumb money being flung around. But if this is real, it's just silly.

Microsoft would have been better off outbidding Facebook for Oculus.

 

[CoG]

Rather than develop the next "Minecraft" a yawning Phil Spencer reaches for the checkbook, again. Lazy.

 

[Duxxy3]

Can Minecraft 2 save the X1? gz Notch well deserved

If it was PC and XB1 it would great. Just XB1 and I think people would stick with Minecraft 1.

 

[Talamius]

The more I think about it the funnier it gets. Perhaps Microsoft can buy Zynga next.

If it really is true, Notch just fleeced Microsoft.