MS near $2b deal for Mojang, Internet debates where to put the $ in Minecraft

[hampster]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-09/microsoft-said-near-2-billion-deal-for-minecraft-maker.html

Microsoft Corp., (affectionately known as M$) maker of the Xbox video-game console, is in discussions to acquire Mojang AB, the software company behind the popular game Minecraft, for more than $2 billion, three people with knowledge of the talks said.

Will minecraft replace minesweeper in Windows 9? Will there be an office 365 style subscription? Xbox exclusive?

Discuss away boreans!

Fantastic game obviously. I hope the people at Mojang who aren't Notch aren't laid off like everyone at nokia

[Rufus]

I want to see it happen, just for the possible entertainment value.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

WTF?

[Brehvolution]

 

[demi]

Notch is fat AND divorced (I only discovered this when it was mentioned)

Take the money and run, brony

[Rufus]

Notch is fat AND divorced (I only discovered this when it was mentioned)

Oh shit, maybe he needs the money then.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Remember when Notch made a big stupid stink about Facebook buying Oculus? 

[Joe Molotov]

Remember when Notch made a big stupid stink about Facebook buying Oculus? 

Remember when Notch wore a fedora and had a neckbeard?

[BobFromPikeCreek]

He is a fat.

[Rufus]

And bald.

[Brehvolution]

Mojang worth the same as the Clippers?

[Eel O'Brian]

So the former Mrs. Notch is about to be worth a bil?

[Rufus]

Didn't it just come out on PS4? Would they pull it off the store?

Java isn't the problem. At least on PC it barely uses the GPU for anything and it's only recently started to take advantage of multi-threading, so it wasn't even using CPUs to their full potential.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

BRB going to change the main character in flappy birds to freedom and the spikes to putin and sell that shit to MS for like 4 billion.

[Take My Breh Away]

Didn't it just come out on PS4? Would they pull it off the store?

Java isn't the problem. At least on PC it barely uses the GPU for anything and it's only recently started to take advantage of multi-threading, so it wasn't even using CPUs to their full potential.

Still sells too much and it would be market suicide for Sony or even more PR suicide for Microsoft if they pull it. It will most likely stay on PS3/PS4 and make money for MS. 

Sony stans having to look at the charts and see a Microsoft owned game constantly on top for the generation over SCE's "Citizen Kanes" tho'

[G The Resurrected]

Instead of spending all that money for one property/platform they should invest in something like unity to make more unique games. This is crazy talk and I don't get it /oldmancloudyelling

[cool breeze]

the guy who made it doesn't seem to know how to follow it up.  might as well cash out for $2 billion.

[Steve Contra]

I honestly don't think he cares to follow it up.  At some point it will be the best selling non-bundled game of all time.

[thisismyusername]

Hey Microsoft:

- Minecraft 2 needs to drop that fucking Java, stat.

No joke, would buy if Java was dropped. Even if I don't like Minecraft, I'd do it just to support the code-move.

[Atramental]

MS believes that lightening will strike in the same spot twice?

[Steve Contra]

Just the name "Minecraft 2" is worth more than every other game that will come out this generation.  Not exactly a bad proposition.

[Atramental]

Just the name "Minecraft 2" is worth more than every other game that will come out this generation.  Not exactly a bad proposition.

Indeed. And I'm probably underestimating the audience that eats this kind of stuff up.

I know that my younger cousins and their friends love the fuck out of the console version of Minecraft.

[Great Rumbler]

Dude's already living the nerd dream, it's not like he needs $2 billion.

But, yeah, I'd take that money in a second.

[hampster]

MS believes that lightening will strike in the same spot twice?

I like what I've seen of Scrolls I'll give it a shot once its out of beta

[ToxicAdam]

Just the name "Minecraft 2" is worth more than every other game that will come out this generation.  Not exactly a bad proposition.

Yea, but Simcity proves that if you don't back it up with a solid game, your legacy don't mean shit.

A huge factor in Minecraft's success was it's price point. I would be shocked if Minecraft 2 is 20 US dollars.

[Take My Breh Away]

Reuters Source saying acquisition is more focused on mobile gaming and Cloud services

Consoles

[Cerveza mas fina]

I see MS thinks Minecraft can save xbox

[Rufus]

It's worse, Windows Phones!

[Cerveza mas fina]

Ms is so clueless, no one will buy windows phones

[recursivelyenumerable]

I haven't played Minecraft, but based on my research it appears to basically be a 3D version of Excel so this makes sense as a strategic move to preserve Excel's place as the premier platform for modern gaming. I should bug my old team about getting this integrated into Power Map.

[Trent Dole]

Minecraft is boring and pointless. Spreadsheets at least have some sort of worth and ultimate goal to them don't they?

[Rufus]

Modded Minecraft is amazing/grindy as fuck. Last time I built a production line for ore processing. A dozen machines to get 4 iron ingots out of 1 ore block, with pipes for liquids, gases and power and power generation. I went with all renewables, wind and solar. The machines even made sounds when they were working.

[Squiddy]

https://mojang.com/2014/09/yes-were-being-bought-by-microsoft/

Confirmed, Mojang sold for 2.5 billion dollars.

RIP Scrolls, you were a wonderful digital TCG.

[Cerveza mas fina]

MS pissing away money again.

Jesus christ, they couldnt make a right decision if their life depended on it.

They need to create something that will be big tomorrow, not flush down 2.5 billion on something that might have peaked already.

400 million for NFL shit
400 million for Rare
2.5 billion for Mojang

They never learn

Also Notch and the other guys left, so they basically bought the Minecraft IP for 2.5 billion? Daaayyyuuummm

[AdmiralViscen]

Pretty limp statements there about support for other platforms, modding etc

[Great Rumbler]

Pretty limp statements there about support for other platforms, modding etc

"We hope Microsoft doesn't totally trash our game, but there's nothing we can do if that's what they decide."

[Rufus]

MS pissing away money again.

Jesus christ, they couldnt make a right decision if their life depended on it.

They need to create something that will be big tomorrow, not flush down 2.5 billion on something that might have peaked already.

400 million for NFL shit
400 million for Rare
2.5 billion for Mojang

They never learn

Also Notch and the other guys left, so they basically bought the Minecraft IP for 2.5 billion? Daaayyyuuummm

The three founders left, but I think the design lead (Jens Something) and all the people who were actually working on the game are still there, though you never know, they might "move on to better things".

[Cerveza mas fina]

I just think this is disgusting after they just let 10000 people go to spend this money on something like this.

[demi]

If PS gets Destiny, MS gets Minecraft, its only fair

[Cerveza mas fina]

Because destiny's story is like lego

[Rufus]

I just think this is disgusting after they just let 10000 people go to spend this money on something like this.

"Business realities" :/

[I'm a Puppy!]

I just think this is disgusting after they just let 10000 people go to spend this money on something like this.

They'll make money off of this. Those people? Not so much. Business dude.
 

[thisismyusername]

Nokia was always a horrible deal. Anyone that followed Nokia saw them cutting them from a mile away.

[I'm a Puppy!]

Hell, they even "laid off" Balmer after the Nokia thing. So....

[ToxicAdam]

I just think this is disgusting after they just let 10000 people go to spend this money on something like this.

Did they let go 10,000 jobs or save 80,000 others by bailing Nokia out?  Just depends on your perspective.

---

I don't know what to make of this transaction. It's an overpay, but a bloated company like MS would never be able to organically create something like Minecraft in a million years. So, it's the tax they have to pay to buy innovation.

Trouble is, the crowd that consumes Minecraft is fickle as hell and will just as soon jump onto something else as they will buy whatever Minecraft 2 is.

[Brehvolution]

[Human Snorenado]

Implying Rare had talent and were special

[Purple Filth]