Microsoft in advanced talks to purchase 'Minecraft' creator Mojang for more than $2 billion

Shawn Knight

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Microsoft is reportedly close to purchasing Minecraft creator Mojang. The Redmond-based company has been holding advanced discussions with founder Markus “Notch” Persson and company with an offer of more than $2 billion on the table according to a person with knowledge of the matter as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

A deal could be finalized as early as this week, the person said.

If true, an acquisition would certainly be a surprise as Persson has traditionally turned his nose up at outside investors and big corporations in general. For example, Persson severed all ties with Oculus VR following its acquisition by Facebook earlier this year.

At the time, he said the social network’s motives were too unclear and shifting and they haven’t historically been a stable platform. Persson added that there was nothing about their history that makes him trust them which makes them seem creepy.

Differences with corporations aside, there’s no denying that Minecraft is an unprecedented success. Since its initial release in 2009, Mojang has sold more than 50 million copies of the game across multiple platforms. Just last year alone, the company raked in more than $100 million in profits from sales of Minecraft and related merchandise.

Bloomberg’s Dina Bass said on Twitter that she’s also hearing the same acquisition talks from her sources. These sources also added that Minecraft would remain a cross-platform title if a deal is indeed hammered out.

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If this were the 90's, I would understand this obsession with Minecraft. Maybe even if the textures were halfway realistic. The days of commodore is over, lets move on from Qbert landscape.
 
Its the popularity of this kind of crap that makes me wonder how on earth the government can say education is getting harder, when clearly the younger generation are morons. They pass exams with ease nowadays, and yet they spend most their time punching wood for gratification....
 
I hope this doesn't happen as Minecraft is special being an independent company. Yes, two billion is extremely tempting but I don't trust Microsoft with the Minecraft environment.
 
For those that don't get Minecraft, just accept the fact that many people enjoy it. If you don't fine, move along and do your thing and let others do there thing. I find that Minecraft is about fun and creativity not super fancy graphics.
 
If this were the 90's, I would understand this obsession with Minecraft. Maybe even if the textures were halfway realistic. The days of commodore is over, lets move on from Qbert landscape.
Realistic graphics =/= a good game. Have you even been paying attention to the last few years of gaming?
 
Realistic graphics =/= a good game.
It does for me which is why I despise Win8. Besides I didn't state I was only interested in realistic graphics. I said I might enjoy the squares, if the textures where more realistic. That's hardly stating the graphics need to be realistic.
 
Its the popularity of this kind of crap that makes me wonder how on earth the government can say education is getting harder, when clearly the younger generation are morons. They pass exams with ease nowadays, and yet they spend most their time punching wood for gratification....

I appreciate your use of irony: lamenting education while pretending to completely miss the point of the product in question. Nicely executed!
 
I doubt that there's a whole lot left in the property to recoup 2 billion. Microsoft is buying the tail of the animal to eat. The rest of it has been served.
 
As a minecraft server owner, I can forsee a lot of changes that I probably will not be too happy about, especially with donations and minecraft hosting.
 
Wait I'm not clear on anything here?

How do you buy a person, I thought thats illegal.

What are they getting him for anyways? Hes a java programmer that hasn't done anything worth anything since minecraft came out and gave that off to another team anyways and has nothing to do with it.
 
Maybe Microsoft just wants to know what the java code looks like so they can learn how to code.
 
Just hire the right people and invent a blockbuster game. Oh right, big corporations only hire mindless zombie college grads and h1-b visa foreigners.
 
Wait I'm not clear on anything here?

How do you buy a person, I thought thats illegal.

What are they getting him for anyways? Hes a java programmer that hasn't done anything worth anything since minecraft came out and gave that off to another team anyways and has nothing to do with it.
mojang isnt a person..........................................
 
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