Notch posted a blog which I would say is clearly not just about Doom: http://notch.net/2014/09/doom/
Welp, looking between the lines there and it seems pretty certain.
Unless he's fucking with us.
Notch posted a blog which I would say is clearly not just about Doom: http://notch.net/2014/09/doom/
Notch posted a blog which I would say is clearly not just about Doom: http://notch.net/2014/09/doom/
Interesting to see how this plays out if it's true. I'd imagine Minecraft 2 being released by Microsoft and without Notch would put off some buyers.
Notch knows that the only way Mojang and Minecraft can go from this point is down. It was a fluke, pure and simple.
It makes sense to sell out to the bigger fool that thinks things will only get better.
Better to exit now when you can command a premium than when the weak sequels begin flopping and the brand is tarnished.
Exactly. Just the fact that he petulantly "named his price" years ago, picking a ludicrously, impossibly high number to get people off his back... and now someone's actually ready to pay that much.
It's like straight out of a movie.
edit: actually, it totally is. There's that scene in The Core where the scientist states what it would cost to build a machine to his specs and it's an impossibly high number and he laughs it off while the stone-faced government black suit guy just goes "ok".life imitating art etc
Lolollo I remember that scene! Dude said like 50 billion dollars, and Stanley Tucci went all 'would you take a check?'
Driving lessons? He's buying a Rolls-Royce.Notch posted a blog which I would say is clearly not just about Doom: http://notch.net/2014/09/doom/
Welp, looking between the lines there and it seems pretty certain.
Unless he's fucking with us.
Yeah that's pretty clearly not just about Doom. I wonder why he feels like he can't get away from Minecraft or that he needs to.
Yeah that's pretty clearly not just about Doom. I wonder why he feels like he can't get away from Minecraft or that he needs to.
It's mostly because he doesn't have any other "true" project ( or product done ); when 0x10c was still a thing, most people seemed to have made the transition.Look at his twitter mentions. It's still a constant stream of Minecraft comments, suggestions, questions, hate for various decisions they've had to make, etc. he can't get away from it even after not working on it in any capacity for years now.
Notch posted a blog which I would say is clearly not just about Doom: http://notch.net/2014/09/doom/
Notch posted a blog which I would say is clearly not just about Doom: http://notch.net/2014/09/doom/
"Use a Credit Card, you get points that way."
Goddamn I love "The Core". It's a perfect stupid, yet highly entertaining movie.
Well pretty much confirmation then ...
I'd just say, it's not the fact that he wants or will completely retire that will be a let-down but rather the fact that he sells to a big company, especially Microsoft.
Notch posted a blog which I would say is clearly not just about Doom: http://notch.net/2014/09/doom/
Notch posted a blog which I would say is clearly not just about Doom: http://notch.net/2014/09/doom/
Unless I'm mistaken, Notch has not said anything about this. He's usually very outspoken, so does that allude to this being real?
What does this mean for Project Spark tho?
Unless I'm mistaken, Notch has not said anything about this. He's usually very outspoken, so does that allude to this being real?
I wonder how 4J Studios are affected by this. I mean short-term they'll have updates to do but long-term, who knows?
They're only small (wikipedia says 16 employees?) but considering they were working on Banjo Kazooie/Tooie and Perfect Dark XBLA ports before Minecraft XBLA I wonder if MS might consider bringing them in-house too? Especially if people are wanting to leave Mojang?
They will end up being bought and Microsoft could turn them into Minecraft's 343 Industries.
Jeb said:We're trying to figure out a name for the 1.8 update, and I jokingly suggested "The Last Update" just to freak people out ;D
Here's the Doom project btw: https://github.com/xnotch/dark
Reading Jerry Holkins' idle thoughts on the potential Minecraft purchase brough to light something that I'd not really considered. I've bolded the part that had me pausing for thought:
---------------*quote*-------------------
I guess well find out to what extent this selling Minecraft stuff is real, or which parts of it are real, in the next few days. I saw Notch at PAX once, years ago, a fact that has cemented my role as Cool Dad for eternity with my son and his fellows. The last time I said anything to Notch was after he was dealing with the fallout from the EULA changes, to offer words of comfort from someone who has experience being Internet Satan. I think that had to get tiring for him. I think doing the best you can, the best that can be expected of any finite entity, and still getting fucked in the eye-hole is a hard business.
Two billion dollars, the number theyre throwing around, isnt really money anymore. It has a Dynastic quality. Two billion dollars might as well be The Spice they talk about in Dune. I would love to have that! I know exactly what Id do. But its only partially the Product that is being purchased, only partly the growing services platform. If you dont hang around with Children Of A Certain Age, you might not know exactly what is being bought here. Theyre functionally purchasing a generation. Two billion dollars starts to look like a steal.
People are worried that this means Minecraft wont exist anywhere but the PC or the Xbox, which is reasonable I think, but everyone who would be making those kinds of decisions over there is still relatively new to their job. Theyre in a position to show that This Is A Different Microsoft than the monolithic, witless Ettin that crashed around in The Nineties and what are sometimes called The Oughts. I think that Sun Tzu would say that True Victory means being indispensable on your competitors platforms. Its completely possible to do this right, if they want to.
---------------*quote*-------------------
And that's true, right? A Minecraft acquisition arguably has less to do with the now of things as it has to do with the landscape and mindscape of consumers a decade and change into the future. It's a game and, sequels taken for granted, a franchise that is proven as being one which grabs that age-group by the scruff of their candy-stained collar. Rather than seeing this as a cash-in on the current popularity, might we instead see this as a long-play purchase, a way for Microsoft to plant that early seed of brand adoption in a budding and potential future customer?
I haven't really kept up with this thread, so forgive me if this has already been discussed!
I wonder how 4J Studios are affected by this. I mean short-term they'll have updates to do but long-term, who knows?
They're only small (wikipedia says 16 employees?) but considering they were working on Banjo Kazooie/Tooie and Perfect Dark XBLA ports before Minecraft XBLA I wonder if MS might consider bringing them in-house too? Especially if people are wanting to leave Mojang?
About 40 people work at 4J Studios.
Notch is rich as fuck. Why would he sell the company?
Reading Jerry Holkins' idle thoughts on the potential Minecraft purchase brough to light something that I'd not really considered. I've bolded the part that had me pausing for thought:
---------------*quote*-------------------
I guess we’ll find out to what extent this selling Minecraft stuff is real, or which parts of it are real, in the next few days. I saw Notch at PAX once, years ago, a fact that has cemented my role as Cool Dad for eternity with my son and his fellows. The last time I said anything to Notch was after he was dealing with the fallout from the EULA changes, to offer words of comfort from someone who has experience being Internet Satan. I think that had to get tiring for him. I think doing the best you can, the best that can be expected of any finite entity, and still getting fucked in the eye-hole is a hard business.
Two billion dollars, the number they’re throwing around, isn’t really money anymore. It has a Dynastic quality. Two billion dollars might as well be The Spice they talk about in Dune. I would love to have that! I know exactly what I’d do. But it’s only partially the Product that is being purchased, only partly the growing services platform. If you don’t hang around with Children Of A Certain Age, you might not know exactly what is being bought here. They’re functionally purchasing a generation. Two billion dollars starts to look like a steal.
People are worried that this means Minecraft won’t exist anywhere but the PC or the Xbox, which is reasonable I think, but everyone who would be making those kinds of decisions over there is still relatively new to their job. They’re in a position to show that This Is A Different Microsoft than the monolithic, witless Ettin that crashed around in The Nineties and what are sometimes called The Oughts. I think that Sun Tzu would say that True Victory means being indispensable on your competitor’s platforms. It’s completely possible to do this right, if they want to.
---------------*quote*-------------------
And that's true, right? A Minecraft acquisition arguably has less to do with the now of things as it has to do with the landscape and mindscape of consumers a decade and change into the future. It's a game and, sequels taken for granted, a franchise that is proven as being one which grabs that age-group by the scruff of their candy-stained collar. Rather than seeing this as a cash-in on the current popularity, might we instead see this as a long-play purchase, a way for Microsoft to plant that early seed of brand adoption in a budding and potential future customer?
I haven't really kept up with this thread, so forgive me if this has already been discussed!
Waiting for a twist. Microsoft unable to negotiate the price down (sub-2 billion). Negative shareholder murmurers. Cold feet. Parallel talks with other interested parties.
Something.
Actually, that's the only reason to buy them for so much. No single game has enraptured and captured a generation of young kids since Pokemon. If you're gonna lasso them and their parents into buying into your ecosystem of platforms, as well as simply grab a fat stream of cash that comes from those that aren't on them, it has to be Minecraft.Reading Jerry Holkins' idle thoughts on the potential Minecraft purchase brough to light something that I'd not really considered. I've bolded the part that had me pausing for thought:
Actually, that's the only reason to buy them for so much. No single game has enraptured and captured a generation of young kids since Pokemon. If you're gonna lasso them and their parents into buying into your ecosystem of platforms, as well as simply grab a fat stream of cash that comes from those that aren't on them, it has to be Minecraft.
Reading Jerry Holkins' idle thoughts on the potential Minecraft purchase brough to light something that I'd not really considered. I've bolded the part that had me pausing for thought:
Put also the strip, it's funny
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Reuters reports the deal will be published on Monday, and it is 2,5 billion, not 2 billion. MS focus is on mobile according to Reuters.
Sorry for a raw link, on a mobile device:
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0H72EV20140912?irpc=932
If Notch wants to sell and MS wants to buy I bet they can work out a deal even if its not something as nuts like 2 Billion.
If he wants a billion I bet he could get that. And very few other companies would have the money to make a billion dollar offer. Its pretty much just MS.
A billion would still be crazy money though. Maybe the biggest single gaming buyout ever?
Rare only went for ~$350m. The closest I can think of would be when EA bought both Bioware and pandemic for and the total for both combined to near $900m.
Heck EA when tried to buy Take2/Rockstar for 2 billion back in 08 they had hassle even getting that amount of money together
Yep, and Pokemon after twenty years still attracts people. After Minecraft sold five million on PC people were like "whoa Microsoft, you're stupid for getting Minecraft on 360. Everybody who wants it bought it already". And then it sold 12 million on 360 alone. Microsoft was there basically from the start, worked around their rules (like update cost) to make it happen. Notch has got to like that.
Notch:
I love my little Doom renderer, for all its quirks and flaws, but I cant spend all my time tied to it. I have driving lessons to take.
Notch knows that the only way Mojang and Minecraft can go from this point is down. It was a fluke, pure and simple.
It makes sense to sell out to the bigger fool that thinks things will only get better.
Better to exit now when you can command a premium than when the weak sequels begin flopping and the brand is tarnished.