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Minecraft was having too much fun on its own. The big guys in Redmond, Wash., had to end that.
Microsoft announced today it will acquire Mojang, the Stockholm-based maker of the wildly popular video game Minecraft.
For me, it's that game the kids play with the brick walls, ponds and block-like dudes running around.
For Microsoft, this was worth a multi-billion piece of its cloud and mobile space, where it promises Minecraft players will benefit from "richer and faster worlds, more powerful development tools, and more opportunities to connect across the Minecraft community."
Microsoft Studios Addition
The Mojang team will join Microsoft Studios, which includes the studios behind global blockbuster franchises “Halo,” “Forza” and “Fable.”
What does Microsoft get with Minecraft?
- It's got more than 100 million downloads, on PC alone, since its launch in 2009
- It's the most popular online game on Xbox
- It's the top paid app for iOS and Android in the US
“Gaming is a top activity spanning devices, from PCs and consoles to tablets and mobile, with billions of hours spent each year,” Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, said in a statement. “Minecraft is more than a great game franchise – it is an open world platform, driven by a vibrant community we care deeply about, and rich with new opportunities for that community and for Microsoft.”
The ‘Minecraft’ players have taken the game and turned it into something that surpassed all of our expectations. The acquisition by Microsoft brings a new chapter to the incredible story of ‘Minecraft,’” said Carl Manneh, CEO, Mojang. “As the founders move on to start new projects, we believe the high level of creativity from the community will continue the game’s success far into the future.”
Microsoft executives said they plan to continue to make “Minecraft” available across all the platforms on which it is available today: PC, iOS, Android, Xbox and PlayStation.
Title image by Bloomua (Shutterstock).
