Long-circulating rumours about a Microsoft buyout of Mojang - developer of the indie game juggernaut Minecraft - have proven true, with both companies confirming the $US2.5 billion deal overnight.
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The first full PC game version of Minecraft was released in 2011, after gaining popularity first as a community-focused experiment launched in 2009. It has since sold more than 54 million copies across PC, PlayStation 4, Android and iOS devices.
Despite the rumours, the final deal still came as a shock to many loyal fans who perceived the game's creator - Swedish designer and Mojang founder Markus "Notch" Persson - as averse to the practices of big gaming companies.
It seems Notch's preference for small-scale projects may have played a role in the company changing hands, with a Mojang blog post on Wednesday announcing that Persson and fellow founders Carl Manneh and Jakob Porser were leaving the company. On his own personal blog, Notch indicated that running one of the biggest games in the world was never something he set out to do, declaring "[the deal is] not about the money. It's about my sanity"
Some players have expressed fear that Microsoft would confine Minecraft to PC, Xbox and Windows Phone platforms, or that they would otherwise restrict the game's growth, but it appears those fears may be unfounded.
Microsoft said it would keep Minecraft available across all systems that currently carry it —which includes Sony's PS3, PS4 and PS Vita, Android, iOS and various computer operating systems — and that it expects to make its money back by the end of financial year 2015.
While it might seem excessively optimistic to expect to make $US2.5 billion dollars in less than a year off a game that's already owned by just about everybody , it isn't out of the question.
That huge install base needs internet servers on which to play the game, for example, and many of those servers charge subscription fees or offer services and items for cash.
Taking a cut of this (or even banning it entirely and running their own formal marketplace) could be a cashcow for Microsoft.
In theory, Microsoft could run the game from its own cloud servers. After all, it is one of the world's largest technology companies with many more resources at its disposal than Mojang could've hoped to have.
So how did the Minecraft community, one of the most diverse and enthusiastic in gaming, react to the news that their pastime was now in new hands?
Many expressed their gratitude to Notch and the others at Mojang:
the mojang deal is cool because it means video games now has a benevolent eccentric billionaire with the scene's best interests at heart — Nick Robinson (@Babylonian) September 15, 2014
As far as I'm concerned, @notch gave the world a great thing and deserves to be rewarded for it (and be happy and sane, too). — Robert Rath (@RobWritesPulp) September 15, 2014
Some were unsure:
Microsoft just spent $2.5B for the chance to be known as the villain that ruined #Minecraft for kids everywhere. — Joe Hills (@joehills) September 15, 2014
Some were downright pessimistic:
I just hope Microsoft will keep Minecraft a fun, easy-to-use experience like they did with Windows, Microsoft Office, Xbox Live, and god no. — Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) September 15, 2014
The buy out could also open up new opportunities for Microsoft. For example, what if updates for Minecraft mobile came to Windows Phone first?
Even if the game remained largely platform agnostic, competitors who want to run it will now have to go through Microsoft and yield to their conditions.
Speaking to USA Today, IDC analyst Al Hilwa said this put Microsoft in an enviable position, particularly as they look to grow their mobile business.
"Minecraft strengthens Microsoft's hand in the battle with Google, Apple and Amazon," Hilwa said.
"In the battle for mobile dominance or relevance, platform owners have to tussle with each other, trading and bartering mutual support for popular consumer services across their mobile platforms. Minecraft is a solid business with intense user loyalty."
It's easy to be cynical, and it's hard to imagine Microsoft will run Mojang without trying to use Minecraft as a weapon against competitors Sony, Apple and others — possibly to the detriment of users — but given the passion of the Minecraft player community it would seem in the company's best interests to tread lightly.
The aquisition is expected to formally close later this year.