other games Gaming News: Minecraft Developer Mojang Officially Owned by Microsoft

[Armory Staff]

/files/u166440/minecraft_001.jpgWelcome to the Microsoft fold Mojang

Whether you thought it was a great deal or not, Microsoft has announced that its acquisition of Minecraft developer Mojang is now official. Back in September, it was announced that Microsoft would purchase Mojang for $2.5 billion. A decision that generated some discussions as to whether or not this was a good deal for Microsoft.

 

 “It’s official, today we welcome Mojang to the Microsoft Studios family, “said Microsoft head of Xbox Phil Spencer on his Twitter account. “We’re excited for the possibilities ahead w/the Minecraft community.”

 

No sooner was the deal first announced several months back when it was revealed that there was already a version of Minecraft for the Windows Phones being developed. However, following the acquisition announcement, many consumers were concerned that Microsoft owning the popular IP could lead to a discontinuation of support for its various versions on competing platforms. A concern Spencer addressed at the time by saying, “Minecraft is one of the most popular franchises of all time. W are going to maintain Minecraft and its community in all the ways people love today, with a commitment to nurture and grow it long into the future.”

 

However, while Microsoft is acquiring the company, the game’s creator Markus “Notch” Persson,” along with two co-founders of Mojang, are leaving. According to his blog post, Notch explained, “It’s not about the money. It’s about my sanity.”

 

Mojang now joins the list of Microsoft’s internal studios which includes 343 Industries, Black Tusk Studios, and Rare. At last count, Minecraft has sold around 54 million units across total across the  Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Andoid, iOS, and PC platforms.

 

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