Yesterday in the UK the latest rich list was revealed showcasing the top 1000 richest people who call that little foggy island their home.
The top of the list is populated by miners, bankers, entertainment stars and thieves.. okay let’s be honest you can’t earn over a billion pound by being an open and ethical businessman (or woman). Anyone with a fair amount of ethics would rather enrich the people who helped them get there rather than hoarding R150 Billion for themselves.
But let’s not get into that ideology here, what we care about is gaming and I was interested to see that 6 people active in the gaming industry made it into the top 1000. The first guys mentioned are Sam and Dan Houser who started Rockstar Games and more importantly are the creators of one of the best videogames of all time, Grand Theft Auto.
They hit the list with a combined wealth of 90 million pounds which is definitely no laughing matter and easily more than you need to live comfortably.
But then the next gaming person who caught my eye was Mel Morris. 10 Internet points to anyone who even recognises that name. Mel Morris has a current estimated wealth of 430 million pounds. That is R7 492 250 340.00.
And how did Mr Morris come about so much cash? Well he earned a fair amount in his earlier career but his mammoth windfall is entirely down to Candy Crush.
Yes that stupid little game where you need to match 3,4 or 5 candies to achieve goals has earned this man 4 1/2 times more money than the creators of one of the best franchises, not even a single game, have earned.
Not to mention that Mel Morris only owned 12% of Candy Crush makers, King, so the amount of money the game is actually making is truly mind boggling.
The latest version of Grand Theft Auto 5 has now sold over 33 million copies and earned Rockstar around $2 billion, so how is it possible that Sam and Dan only have 90 million pounds between them. Maybe they truly are the best bosses and have invested most of the money directly back into the company, which is what I hope has happened.
The other option isn’t palatable.
Last Updated: May 19, 2014
Dutch Matrix
May 19, 2014 at 11:07
Maybe Grand Theft Auto 5 is not that amazing. Not if it gets beaten into a bloody pulp by sugar rushed madmen…
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 19, 2014 at 11:09
Damn those filthy casuals!
Dutch Matrix
May 19, 2014 at 11:13
But wait a minute… How much of the King millions did Gavin’s wife contribute again? 🙂
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 19, 2014 at 11:14
Enough to have bought Liverpool a better goal keeper I think.
RinceofFuturePast
May 19, 2014 at 11:15
HAHA! Ouch!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 19, 2014 at 11:26
It’s your fault. Apparently I’m mean ;P
Dutch Matrix
May 19, 2014 at 11:17
Liverpool had approached her, but apparently my sister got standards…
Admiral Chief in Space
May 19, 2014 at 11:22
Whahahahahahaha!!!!!
Hammersteyn
May 19, 2014 at 11:33
But she loves balls?
Dutch Matrix
May 19, 2014 at 11:52
Her skill with balls were unmatched in High School. She was the goalie for the U15 hockey team. They went on to become national champions or something like that.
Hammersteyn
May 19, 2014 at 12:01
XD
Admiral Chief in Space
May 19, 2014 at 11:22
oooooof
Alex Hicks
May 19, 2014 at 11:10
By Neptune’s Trident! That’s an absolute bugger load of cash for a bejewelled clone. No wonder they were so keen on enforcing copyright. If anyone can clone a half decent version they can take almost 1% of that. I could easily live off 1% …
Admiral Chief in Space
May 19, 2014 at 11:22
0.1 even
RinceofFuturePast
May 19, 2014 at 11:15
BWAHAHAHHHH! This planet is DOOOOMED I SAY!
Hammersteyn
May 19, 2014 at 11:32
Humanity is regressing
The D
May 19, 2014 at 11:18
DEY WUZ ROBBED!
Admiral Chief in Space
May 19, 2014 at 11:21
Idiots are being celebrated/glorified/enriched, this is the true crime/failing/ailment of the human race
Hammersteyn
May 19, 2014 at 11:31
Load them all on the space ship, Horizon something.
Aussious
May 19, 2014 at 19:23
The biggest lie that society can ever feed you is that hard work equates to wealth… 90% of the human race toils under the most strenuous of circumstances to keep this machine going for a basic to okay wage with no job security. On the flip side fucking soccer players, athletes, Hollywood actors, Executives etc takes home Millions to Billions and contribute fuck all of actual tangible value.
Brian Murphy
May 19, 2014 at 19:29
Aye to that, free market capitalism at it’s finest 🙁
Hard work = wealth, is what the rich tell politicians to say, so that they can justify cutting taxes on themselves, forcing more productivity out of a contracting workforce, so that more money goes to the top.
Trickle down is a failed policy, but…only for the middle class/poor. It works wonders for the upper echelons.
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 19, 2014 at 19:54
Hear fucking hear.
Hammersteyn
May 19, 2014 at 11:31
How a simple thing like microtransactions can enrich people like this. Keep on spending geniuses
Maxiviper117
May 19, 2014 at 13:55
So if 12% nets to 7.5 billlion. 100% would be over R600 000 000 000.
Thats madness
JimmyHACK
May 19, 2014 at 14:32
Not such a “stupid little game” huh.
Aussious
May 19, 2014 at 19:14
Well that’s the difference between being an employee and an owner, they do great work and get “paid well” whereas if they owned say 30 % of Rockstar they’d be both billionaires like Gabe Newell.