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This tweet made Microsoft buy Mojang

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Notch

Minecraft is a global phenomenon. People of all ages around the world are doing incredible things with it, and it’s all thanks to Mojang and its intrepid founders. They sold their creation to Microsoft, something that some people saw as selling out. But there’s a much bigger story behind the headline.

There is an excellent article about Minecraft creator, Markus ‘Notch” Persson over on Forbes. It gives a wonderful background on the man behind Minecraft, as well as how the actual deal with Microsoft progressed. However, the most interesting part is that this tweet is what started it all.

It all started with a frustrated and overwhelmed tweet. Within 30 seconds of the tweet going out, Mojang CEO Carl Manneh got a call at home from a Microsoft executive asking if Persson was serious. And thus, the conversation about selling the company began. Obviously it took a long time to finalize, and other publishers also threw their hats in the ring, but it was Microsoft who came through with the best understanding of the business. Plus, it (very slightly) helped Microsoft’s issue of how to spend its $93 billion overseas cash pile that it couldn’t repatriate without paying Uncle Sam. Smart for everyone.

Was Notch a sell out? I don’t think so, but I think this sentence says it best:

Being insanely rich and prematurely washed up apparently trumps the stresses of responsibility over a virtual nation that alternately reveres and despises you.

Last Updated: March 6, 2015

7 Comments

  1. Lardus-Resident Perve

    March 6, 2015 at 20:22

    For that amount of money, you cannot call it “selling out”. Sheesh, someone wanna buy my shared in…my beard?

    Reply

  2. Joe Black

    March 6, 2015 at 22:22

    Yeah you get people screaming at other for the choices they have every right to make.

    Like I always say. If I was George Lucas then I would have sold Star Wars to a Bollywood studio.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      March 7, 2015 at 09:40

      LOL Bollywood,maybe this is why no HL3. Poor Gabe would have to deal with a lot of Salty fans.

      Reply

      • Joe Black

        March 8, 2015 at 20:46

        Now that you mention Gabe. This was recently very entertaining…

        Also… this

        Reply

  3. Banie Joubert

    March 7, 2015 at 11:21

    Its his shares, he can do with it what he wants. And an old quote comes to mind: “To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.” – Aristole. If I was in his place I would have done the same. If this world had more people who would get of their arses an actually do something instead of just criticising those who do the real work it would be a much better place.

    Reply

  4. Travi the Batman

    March 8, 2015 at 01:43

    Actually, the reason why Microsoft bought Mojang for such a huge amount of money was a tax-dodge according to the Forbes article about Notch.

    Reply

  5. Matthew Holliday

    March 9, 2015 at 09:22

    if he doesnt want to develop minecraft anymore and if the game is going to suffer from the lack of developement, sell it.
    ez.
    people get mad, but if a bro doesnt wanna be involved in something, what else is he supposed to do?

    Reply

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