Confirmed: Microsoft to buy Mojang for 2.5 billion.

[BananaKing]

Edited out the OP and title to add the news. its real, its confirmed and its a huge waste of money. notch is out btw.

[ethomaz]

It was a WSJ rumor guys... 90% chance to be true and ended true

BTW they will support the PlayStation versions... Vita will come too... well maybe MS can't break a contract already done.

[Max King of the Wild]

Edited out the OP and title to add the news. its real, its confirmed and its a huge waste of money. notch is out btw.

not just notch but the other two founders (not sure their roll but I'm sure it was significant enough since they managed the growing IP fairly well) and the press release sounds like others will be leaving as well. Also, the release is mostly gaming related.

[Max King of the Wild]

Also, no clue what's going on with the movie right now but since MS isn't a movie studio how would that work? I assume someone buys the rights to make the movie but wouldn't that then give that company the financial burden and the money the movie makes? Or would MS also need to be the producer and put the money up for the movie to be made. Either way, doesn't sound like enough to make a dent in 2.5b

[kitler53]

well, gratz to ms i guess.  i still think this is a massive waste of money that they will never re-coup but i'll be interested to see what they do with the franchise.  it wasn't something i ever wanted to play but i get a good chuckle that ms now has a 1st party game on ps3/4/vita.  1st step to going 3rd party right?! 

if they really are still going to maintain the iOS, android, mac, ps3, ps4, and will launch the psvita version then i just really don't get why they would even buy the franchise.  like seriously,. what is the benefit to ms?

throw on top of that that notch is leaving..   wow ms,. just wow.

[ethomaz]

I was thinking a little...

Seems like a lot of guys from original team are leaving... Rare effect? The new team won't make a good job?

[Max King of the Wild]

Man.... Phils statement is all about games too.

[Max King of the Wild]

Notch - It's not about the money it's about my sanity... I know this goes against things I've said in the pastand I have no response for that.


If it isn't about the money and he realizes it goes against what he's said in the past then there were better ways to go about it. Like, just leave mojang and let the people he put in place to manage it manage it. Or, sell it for a ridiculous yet lot lower price to a bigger(than mojang) and more creative company. But fudge, props to him for this deal.

[Max King of the Wild]

well, gratz to ms i guess.  i still think this is a massive waste of money that they will never re-coup but i'll be interested to see what they do with the
Franchise

apparently according to phil this deal will break even in a year and a half. Well.... I would like to hear their conversation next year about this deal. Are Ms so far from reality that they don't know how much 2.5b is? Only thing I can see helping recoup the cost is a movie if released next winter... But even if it does frozen and lego movie numbers (which I doubt) it still wouldn't be enough

[ethomaz]

2.5b... it will be always about the money.

[kitler53]

apparently according to phil this deal will break even in a year and a half. Well.... I would like to hear their conversation next year about this deal. Are Ms so far from reality that they don't know how much 2.5b is? Only thing I can see helping recoup the cost is a movie if released next winter... But even if it does frozen and lego movie numbers (which I doubt) it still wouldn't be enough

minecraft doesn't even make enough revenue a year for that to be true for 8 years...

...someone at vgchartz said:

I expect Minecraft to be bundleds with every Windows phone/tablet and every XBox One/360 going forward.  That is the only way they can claim it will "break even" by FY2015.

that's the only way i can see this "breaking even" in that time frame and even then it is only an accountants write-off not actual pay back.

[the-pi-guy]

minecraft doesn't even make enough revenue a year for that to be true for 8 years...

Minecraft Vita will make a killing is how. 

[Max King of the Wild]

minecraft doesn't even make enough revenue a year for that to be true for 8 years...

...someone at vgchartz said:

that's the only way i can see this "breaking even" in that time frame and even then it is only an accountants write-off not actual pay back.

Yeah, it's got to be a write off. and everyone involved is talking about the studio aspect. Nothing else. Nothing to tell investors what the future will be for the franchise. I can NOT see them liking a 2b dollar write off.

[Legend]

Where is the Phil quote?

[darkknightkryta]

apparently according to phil this deal will break even in a year and a half. Well.... I would like to hear their conversation next year about this deal. Are Ms so far from reality that they don't know how much 2.5b is? Only thing I can see helping recoup the cost is a movie if released next winter... But even if it does frozen and lego movie numbers (which I doubt) it still wouldn't be enough

Considering Minecraft only profited a few hundred million annually really shows how out of touch they are.  Minecraft is in their max now, profits will not be going any higher.  Even if profits stayed the same, it'd take about 10 years to make that money back.  The movie would have to do it and even then, there's no chance a minecraft movie can make a billion at the box office.  Minecraft 2 needs money pumped into it and wouldn't make it back.  Oh well, let MS add more to the debt.  It's only a matter of time until shareholders start bearing their teeth.