Yup
WSJ: ''Mojang to be bought by Microsoft'
- Thread starter Thomper
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Yup
Ambition
Member
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
Makes no sense whatsoever.
Id wait for official confirmation if I was you guys.
Id wait for official confirmation if I was you guys.
This sounds a little too close to "Oh, the lightbulb. I could have thought of that."
MisterArrogant
Neo Member
This why I don't like Microsoft and don't have any desire to further support their gaming initiatives. I don't think they're a positive force in the industry. Their business decisions are not about creating new value in the industry. They're about depriving their competitors of value. They create artificial value for themselves by restricting the choice of gamers. While Nintendo and Sony invest resources to create new IP, Microsoft primarily uses their capital to restrict already existing value rather than using it to expand and create new value.
This is typical of standard Microsoft business practices and I think a big part of what some people feared when Microsoft originally entered the console market.
shinobi602
Member
Minecraft is like crack for kids nowadays, even many adults. Every single kid I know is obsessed with it. This could be Microsoft's toy line for all we know.
It's actually very interesting to see the difference in Sony's and Microsoft's reactions to minecraft(If this article is even true).
Sony: Oh, that minecraft game sure is making money. How about we make a prettier version of it with creepy giants and little kids as avatars.
Microsoft: Damn, that minecraft is making a lot of money. How about we buy the studio for 2 billion dollars?
Sony: Oh, that minecraft game sure is making money. How about we make a prettier version of it with creepy giants and little kids as avatars.
Microsoft: Damn, that minecraft is making a lot of money. How about we buy the studio for 2 billion dollars?
After Microsoft bought Rare in 2002, they released the a bunch of games for Nintendo's GBA and DS. Up until 2007.
Kazuma Kiryu
Member
Notch will be rolling around in $$$$.
Corronchilejano
Member
Hendrick's
If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
Makes sense, they already had a Minesweeper.
Except for the fact that the battle system sucks and is nothing like the main series Pokémon game, I want to see Charizard breath fire when using Flamethrower not look like he's using tackle.
JackAubrey
Member
Young kids probably shouldn't use VR just as they shouldn't view 3D.
It could last like Lego has. It has universal appeal and a simplicity and educational value that means new generations of kids will join as others leave for other games.
I'd say Minecraft is worth more than Tomb Raider. I don't even play it and was only interested if it came to Vita (cause it seemed like a game that I might like on Vita but can't get over the pixels for my tv).
I mean you don't have to like it to see how popular it is and not just with hardcore gamers, with your average joe. My cousin was playing it on her iphone years ago (that's how I even heard of it honestly) and she's definitely not all that dedicated to games.
Tomb Raider? Mostly appeals to people who actually want to game and not also to people who just want a time killer. I mean, how many Tomb Raider themed toys do you see sitting around Fred Meyer or Target?
Yeah, I'd say Minecraft is worth a lot more than Tomb Raider.
As terrible as the deal is for Microsoft, it's fucking fantastic for Notch. He should be on the next plane over, then off to whatever island he's bought.
As far as Minecraft 2 being money in the bank, I present Amazing Alex, the countless Angry Birds spinoffs and Farmville 2.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
Yup. It's the only way a $2bn deal makes sense. Limiting the release to Xbox and Windows would cut off around half of all potential buyers and the fastest growing current gaming platforms (PlayStation, Android and iOS).
It would literally make no sense to buy a company for $2bn then throw away half of the revenue stream and impair the asset in kind.
And I am glad they did! Many many hours sunk into that and as a freebie for all Xbox 360 users for the first few years I believe made it that much more awesome!
Damn, now where is my new Hexic for CrossBone/Steam?
I don't know what that's supposed to mean(don't know anything about TrackMania). Its of course possible to ruin something.
I'm just saying that Minecraft isn't so delicate that the mere intervention of an outside party automatically means bad things. Minecraft has a ton of room for improvement.
loaf of bread
Member
Jesus imagine all the games they could make with that money. Probably between 10 or 15. No lets just buy something.
Leafhopper
Banned
Rare made more than 1 game people care about.
Notch wants 2 billion dollars
Microsoft wants to own the Minecraft IP
sense made
Oh, so you're working on Minecraft 2? Let us know when it comes out and how much money you make.
SerTapTap
Member
Was intended in jest, didn't know about the Surface deal though, actually glad Surface gets some airtime. I do love my SP3.
I obviously don't know Notch, but I didn't really see him as the sort to make a such a move and be happy with it. It will be interesting to see if the rumour is true, and if so how it turns out. I'd hate to see things go the way of rare, as I was hoping to see something fresh from him and Mojang
Corronchilejano
Member
Justice_Bolt
Member
Hahaha! Exactly what I was thinking.
Sure. But once reached critical mass it's impossible to make any significant dent on the genre leader. It's World of Warcraft versus any other MMO all over again. Others can try to replicate, innovate the formula but will always be a numbers game.
What about it makes no sense?
1. Minecraft is one of the biggest new IPs in years. It's one of the most talked about games period.
2. Minecraft helps leverage an audience Microsoft has traditionally had trouble gaining - children.
3. Minecraft comes with tons of associated merchandising possibilities.
4. Minecraft comes with very easy crossover potential; Halo skins, Banjo skins, Conker skins, etc.
5. Minecraft 2.0 would not be a sequel that would take a terribly long turnaround time to develop if they were serious about it, so they can start to leverage the deal for future purposes relatively quickly if they wanted to.
I'm not saying it's true, I don't know. I think it's fucked up and illustrates well why Microsoft has earned the scorn of so many gamers. But as a business strategy, I can see the clear reasons why.
DOBERMAN INC
Member
Seems like an odd move, Minecraft was a one off. It's an excellent game but how do you make a sequel when everyone is satisfied with the first and there is no clamouring for another?
Sure, but once the lightbulb was invented, it didn't take long for others to come in and greatly improve on the design.
The original idea of Minecraft is genius. The working nature of it isn't, necessarily.
miDnIghtEr20C
Banned
Of course they're missing it. MS wants to make it exclusive. People are pissed now. You'll also see people now poo poo down Minecraft like it's not a good game all of a sudden or losing it's legs.
Nintendo has Pokemon.
MS wants Minecraft.
And some of you had great ideas that I didn't even think of. Different spin of games. Like someone said.. could you imagine a Minecraft kart racer? Hmmm.. that COULD be pretty cool if done right.
This would be a huge move for MS. This is stuff they need to pull if they want to get back in the sales hunt. Minecraft 2 only on X1 would sell HUGE!
TIMtationX
Member
Not surprised by this news.
At all.
At all.
I don't think MS really gives a shit about "hate" from a few forum goers and warriors who hate anyone who opposes their favorite piece of plastic, nor should they. They are no different from any other corporation seeing an opportunity and taking it. People need to stop acting like it's only MS that does this shit.
KyanMehwulfe
Member
Yeah same both Minecraft and a lot of those themed Lego games. I know some of my friends' or cousins' kids that already love Minecraft but would go ballistics over a Minecraft themed off of... I'm not even sure what else they like, actually? Dora the Explorer still a thing? Pokemon, Harry Potter, Star Wars like you said, Disney characters, who knows. Point is you could cheaply make 'themed' versions of Minecraft every Christmas and probably sell millions of copies at $15-25 a pop to kids with associated brand products to boot. The Lego comparison is pretty good because as a kid every kid around wanted different themed Lego, whether knights, pirates, space, and now they do Star Wars, Harry Potter, similar themed games and even movies -- all great profit generators. Hell, I know if they may a Warcraft-themed Minecraft game, I'd go a bit giddy like a kid, too.
Point is, while it sort of seems opposite of how Minecraft was developed and its original natural evolution as such non-marketed creation, the branding and marketing potential has a huge potential payoff for a company and its shareholders.
Which is probably why this news is even making CNBC RT tickers, which is how I found out about it at work and then came to check NeoGAF lol. I see video game news maybe 2-3 times a year on that stock ticker. Was pretty odd to see Minecraft there but actually the potential business opportunity for MS to 'exploit' it makes a lot of sense why the news was sent out on finance news feeds.
MS doesn't have any handhelds. If this goes through, you best bet the PS3/4 versions will get pulled.
From buying a studio? Would not be the first time by a console maker.
They could just stop adding content to Minecraft.
outunderthestars
Banned
Nah. I picture it more along the lines of: Hey, what do people like? Do we have anything like that? No? Fuck. Well, go buy us some of that. We'll get to the market 3 years late but what will that matter? We'll dominate it, just like we did with Zune, Kin, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, MSN Direct, Games For Windows Live, Windows Mobile 7, Windows Phone, Surface, Surface 2, Kinect, etc.
What about iOS ?
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