Minecraft: The Rumor Mill: Microsoft to Buy Mojang for $2B?

SBFord

According to Venture Beat, there is a new rumor floating around that indicates that Microsoft may be lining up to purchase Minecraft development studio Mojang for two billion dollars. That's right, two BILLION dollars. The Wall Street Journal, a very reliable font of information, is the identified source of the rumor. Venture Beat is working to confirm the rumor and we will be sure to keep you posted.

But owning Mojang and Minecraft wouldn’t just give Microsoft a popular game. It is a merchandising behemoth with toys, Lego sets, and apparel available at stores like Target and Walmart. The Hollywood producers responsible for turning The Lego Movie into a blockbuster even announced plans for a Minecraft film.

For Microsoft, this acquisition could give it the boost it needs to compete with Sony in the new-gen console war. The PlayStation 4 has outsold Xbox One every month since they both debuted in November, and Microsoft has already tried several promotions, adjustments, and price cuts to catch up. Owning Minecraft could change everything.

Read more at the links above.

What do you think of the news? Is this good for Microsoft? For Minecraft? For gaming? Let us know in the comments.

Rastan1

Forget that. How bout Mojang buys Microsoft instead. It could only improve things.  I hope they don't sell out.

Heretique

Originally posted by Rastan1
Forget that. How bout Mojang buys Microsoft instead. It could only improve things.  I hope they don't sell out.

Money is a lot more popular decision than your fan base.

rojoArcueid

Originally posted by Stizzled
I wonder what this might mean for Minecraft on non-Windows based platforms. Money talks but, if they're doing this to try and get a leg up in the console race, will MS really be okay with the game also being on all of Sony's platforms? I'm not exactly sure how this purchase could help them at all as far as consoles are concerned.

well, Minecraft already launched for PS4. If MS purchase Minecraft and remove it from PSN, Sony mind as well remove BlueRay from Xbox One. Just sayin.....

DamonVile

This feels like a huge company trying to stay relevant in the game industry by buying innovation rather than creating it. Of course EA has been doing it for years and despite having a reputation the devil would envy they still seem to make lots of money.

Gravarg

The main reason (for me) in buying a PS4 and not an xbone was one simple thing really.  I already had a Vita and i loved to remote play games on PS3, and PS4 expanded on that technology, which actually works.  Where Microsoft decided to expand on a technology that has never worked right, Kinect.

Asamof

game was a fluke and notch proved he can barely manage running an indie company with all the resources any company could ever ask for

microsoft is probably going to show him how to properly milk the minecraft fanbase

 

Wizardry

I wouldn't pay 200 thousand let alone 2 billion.Minecraft and the idea has been infringed upon by many companies now so it will be squeezed out eventually.I know the model game is quite popular,not so sure on it's other brands/toys but to me it is a very weak product,i don't get the popularity over it.

You can get freeware that is MUCH better than Minecraft,so why do people bother with second rate software is beyond me.Microsoft must firmly believe the entity will grow enormously because they don't dabble with small numbers.

Drakephire

I worry that Microsoft would eliminate the modding community. Minecraft on its own might not have made it this far but for the robust assortment of mods available. I can see Microsoft wanting to micromanage the brand so that it only has one texture look, paid expansions, and approved, monetized youtube channels. 

Markn

Originally posted by rojoArcueid

Originally posted by Stizzled
I wonder what this might mean for Minecraft on non-Windows based platforms. Money talks but, if they're doing this to try and get a leg up in the console race, will MS really be okay with the game also being on all of Sony's platforms? I'm not exactly sure how this purchase could help them at all as far as consoles are concerned.

well, Minecraft already launched for PS4. If MS purchase Minecraft and remove it from PSN, Sony mind as well remove BlueRay from Xbox One. Just sayin.....

They can't remove blue ray but nice thought     It's funny really people dont realize not only does sony make $ from PS4 sales they make a small amount from every Xbox one sold from blueray.

 

Markn

Originally posted by Wizardry

I wouldn't pay 200 thousand let alone 2 billion.Minecraft and the idea has been infringed upon by many companies now so it will be squeezed out eventually.I know the model game is quite popular,not so sure on it's other brands/toys but to me it is a very weak product,i don't get the popularity over it.

You can get freeware that is MUCH better than Minecraft,so why do people bother with second rate software is beyond me.Microsoft must firmly believe the entity will grow enormously because they don't dabble with small numbers.

 

 

Sony actually has a better PC version called Landmark  If they ever port that over to PS4 where it would be free 2 play minecraft would be dead.

Kinchyle

Originally posted by Asamof

game was a fluke and notch proved he can barely manage running an indie company with all the resources any company could ever ask for

microsoft is probably going to show him how to properly milk the minecraft fanbase

 

Another informed opinion from the MMORPG crowd.

Markn

They still would not remove the blueray drive stizzled.  They advertise it as an entertainment console you remove the blue ray player and how do people play movies they buy at the store ?  

Myrdynn

Take the money and run.

nobody in their right mind would ever turn it down, I dont care if it is there baby and passion

 

funyahns

Isn't it a bit late to buy the rights to Minecraft? I mean if I wanted to purchase it I would have done so years ago, before it ever hit any console.  Seems like they would just be wasting their money at this point. I don't think Minecraft can generate 2 billion in sales moving forward.  Are they expecting Mojang to come out with another game equal to Minecraft? I seriously have my doubts, Minecraft is a special case in my mind. I doubt Mojang could come up with something even an 1/8 as successful.

Mithrandolir

I've been playing Minecraft at least a few nights per week since buying the alpha in early/mid 2009. I still play it an awful lot, it has never grown old or boring for me. I play many various mods and enjoy the heck out of it. I can't think of a single good thing that would come out of MS owning it...

With that said, they'd be crazy not to sell it for 2B. What's sold is sold, that money has been made... add to it another 2 billion this late in the game! Crazy.

 

GeezerGamer

Originally posted by Stizzled
I wonder what this might mean for Minecraft on non-Windows based platforms. Money talks but, if they're doing this to try and get a leg up in the console race, will MS really be okay with the game also being on all of Sony's platforms? I'm not exactly sure how this purchase could help them at all as far as consoles are concerned.

They'd have t ocompletely redevelop it away from Java.

Anireth

So far it's only a rumor, and going for Valve wouldn't be all that different with regards to "caring for your fans". Valve is seen as the holy grail of pc gaming, especially when it comes to indie support, but thats just because the others are abmyssal. If you objectively look at what Valve does; if you talk with mod and indie game developers, they are far from having a clean record.

Anyways, back to the actual news:

I can understand that Minecraft would be a nice addition to nearly any portfolio, but $2B? Especially right now, as Mojang has gotten itself into a bit of trouble with it's community.

KualaBD

I really don't know why they (or any of you) would think it's a good idea to sell it for $2 B.

 

You all realize that Minecraft has already sold 54 Million copies, right?  At $20-$25 each copy It's already made over $1B already over the last 5 years and that number is going up faster the more platforms it gets sold on.  Even if you take out the % cut that the console guys get for selling it on their platform it probably balances out what with all the extra royalties Mojang gets from Lego products, t-shirts, toys and other merchandise bringing in extra cash flow.

 

In other words, if Mojang has already made $1B in the last 5 years and is likely to make another $1B over the upcoming 5 years, and continue making more beyond that time why would they sell their company and all their rights to the name and game for a $ amount they're already going to make anyway by keeping their company and game?

 

The only reason why I could see them selling is if they just don't wanna deal with the business and the game anymore and want out now with a lump sum rather than get MORE than that amount over the next 5-10 years by keeping it to themselves.

 

I'm not saying it can't happen or it won't happen.  I'm just saying if $ is what they want they'll make more by keeping their company than selling it.

 

It's like those $100M lottery winners who get the choice of either only getting $50M but they get it right away or get the full $100M but spread out at $10M /yr over the next 10 years.  Only a fool takes the smaller lump sum right away (or an economic genius if they know how to double the lump sum in that same 10 year period).

 

 

Sovrath

Originally posted by Myrdynn

Take the money and run.

nobody in their right mind would ever turn it down, I dont care if it is there baby and passion

 

Well, it depends. If the owners are already millionaires then it might not really be an issue to keep their studio. At some point, how many houses, cars and fine dinners can you really have?

But if they are just "doing well" then "heck yeah!" 2 Billion!

Braindome

I would actually like it if Notch sold Minecraft and took some of that money and focused back on his previous projects like Wurm Online.

At this point he is treading water, better to move on to another project at this point as the mod community has pretty much taken over anyway.

JeroKane

Originally posted by Rastan1
Forget that. How bout Mojang buys Microsoft instead. It could only improve things.  I hope they don't sell out.

 And if you were in his shoes, you would just pass up and ignore the oportunity to be financial independed the rest of your live?

expresso

Shiiiiiit $2B - Notch could buy Twitch and still have change.  Cant help but feel that's overpriced, expect Minecraft 2 to be rushed out the door ASAP XBone exclusive ofc.

KualaBD

Originally posted by JeroKane

Originally posted by Rastan1
Forget that. How bout Mojang buys Microsoft instead. It could only improve things.  I hope they don't sell out.

 And if you were in his shoes, you would just pass up and ignore the oportunity to be financial independed the rest of your live?

Notch (and Mojang in general) already IS financially independant for the rest of their lives.  Like I said a few posts above Minecraft has already made ~$1 Billion in the last 5 years and if things keep going the way it is now they'll make ANOTHER $1 Billion in the next 5 years.

 

Which is why it makes no sense to me for them to sell out for only $2 Billion since that's what they're getting on their own anyway unless they just wanna get out of the gaming business and are sick of Minecraft and don't wanna wait 5 years for another $ Billion.

mooseman3527

I Love Minecraft but hate Microsoft. Would this mean no more Linux version or Mac version just Windows versions? Damn kill the best fastest growning mmo to release in the present past. The Community is what makes Minecraft still thrive. The Mods, The Skins, The Maps, The textures, The whole Damn game being fully customized to you and the communiy's liking. 

Sell it to Microsoft and it's the end of a great era. RIP Minecraft if it happens.

immodium

As long as MS doesn't bring restrictions/bans on modding/amending game code I don't see a problem for the Minecraft community.