Just as Minecraft is what you make of it the game doesn't hold your hand but allows for limitless expression there are endless possibilities for where it might go in the future. It won't be about selling more Xboxes or even more copies of Minecraft itself with the company's new focus on cross-platform experiences, Minecraft might just be the stickiest reason yet for someone to use a Microsoft account, whatever system they're playing on. That's something Microsoft is in real need of, with flagging consumer interest in its Windows mobile products and even Xbox to some extent. Video games are "the single biggest digital life category in a mobile-first world," according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, and there aren't many games that resonate with people's lives as much as Minecraft. The potential for new games and product categories based off the IP is also huge, and there have already been cross-promotional tie-ups like downloadable Doctor Who content packs. If Microsoft insists on staying in the gaming market, Mojang is about as useful a purchase as it could make.
And with Minecraft as the building blocks, the sky could be the limit for Microsoft even beyond video games. Education is one area where Microsoft could help Mojang, for example. In the face of encroaching competition in the mobile space, Microsoft is desperate to keep kids learning on Windows PCs, and to any Minecraft fan under 16, the game is probably the most important thing they do with their computer. Similarly, Minecraft has been pitched as a tool that can actually aid people in various ways, from designing urban slums in Africa and Haiti with the UN to teaching kids how to code. It's exactly the kind of thing Microsoft would be best placed to extend.
