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Notch's $70 million LA mansion recreated in Minecraft
As soon as it was known that Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson had bought a $70 million mega-mansion in LA, it was only a matter of time before someone recreated it in blocky form. One dedicated player took up the challenge immediately and, in less than 24 hours, had a video up on YouTube comparing his digital incarnation shot-for-shot with a slick real-estate highlight reel. It's an accurate portrayal of the luxurious Beverly Hills pad, even if it doesn't quite match the ingenuity of some other Minecraft creations we've seen depicting Denmark, works from London's Tate gallery, and the first level from Super Mario Land.
'Minecraft' success helps its creator buy a $70 million mansion
It can be difficult for us commoners to fathom just how much money a billion is. So, if you need to see more than just a figure to fully digest the kind of wealth Notch got from selling Minecraft to Microsoft for $2.5 billion (yes, billion with a B), just take a look at his new Beverly Hills mansion. This is the house Minecraft bought, people: a $70 million estate with its own cinema, iPad-controlled fountains, automated glass doors, a panoramic view of LA and, best of all, a candy room, which is exactly what it sounds like. That amount includes all the expensive furniture and 90-inch TVs displayed in the mansion, along with cases of Dom Perignon champagne, because you don't celebrate buying houses like this with Two Buck Chucks.
Microsoft buys Minecraft studio Mojang, but promises to continue iOS, Mac development
Everyone's favorite sandbox game, Minecraft, is now officially owned by Microsoft thanks to a $2.5 billion deal the company made to purchase developer Mojang. The buy will see Microsoft take control of a game that is published -- and extremely popular -- across many of the platforms of its competitors, including PlayStation, Android, and of course iOS and OS X. In a statement released by Mojang, the newly-acquired company notes that while Microsoft will now be calling the shots, there is no reason development for all platforms would be affected. Of course, how this all actually plays out will be watched with a close and critical eye by the millions and millions of Minecraft fans, but the fact that the game continues to rake in cash from all angles, it would serve Microsoft well to continue support on all fronts. An unfortunate side effect of the buy is that Minecraft creator and Mojang founder Markus "Notch" Persson will be leaving the company entirely, along with two co-founders. Notch gave up his helm on the Minecraft project a while ago already, but has remained the majority holder of Mojang. In a post on his personal blog he notes that selling the company and Minecraft is "not about the money. It's about my sanity."
Microsoft is buying 'Minecraft' and its development studio for $2.5 billion
Microsoft confirmed this morning that it's buying massively popular game Minecraft and the studio behind it, Mojang. The purchase amount is $2.5 billion. Don't panic: Microsoft says it "plans to continue to make Minecraft available across all the platforms on which it is available today: PC, iOS, Android, Xbox and PlayStation." Though Microsoft is purchasing the Minecraft intellectual property -- game, licensing, and any other rights involved -- it isn't getting the game's creator, Markus "Notch" Persson. A note from the Mojang team says, "Notch, Carl, and Jakob are leaving. We don't know what they're planning. It won't be Minecraft-related but it will probably be cool" (Carl Manneh is Mojang's CEO and Jakob Porser is a co-founder).
Microsoft confirms acquisition of Minecraft studio Mojang
Microsoft announced it's bought Minecraft studio Mojang for a deal worth $2.5 billion. The buyout will see Mojang founders Markus "Notch" Persson, Carl Manneh and Jakob Porser leave the Swedish studio. Both companies confirmed the acquisition this morning, with Head of Xbox Phil Spencer noting Microsoft's "long seen the potential of Minecraft." "At Microsoft, we believe in the power of content to unite people," Spencer wrote on Xbox Wire. "Minecraft adds diversity to our game portfolio and helps us reach new gamers across multiple platforms. Gaming is the top activity across devices and we see great potential to continue to grow the Minecraft community and nurture the franchise. "That is why we plan to continue to make Minecraft available across platforms – including iOS, Android and PlayStation, in addition to Xbox and PC."
Bloomberg: Mojang's Notch 'unlikely' to stay on after MS buyout
If Microsoft's reported attempt to buy Mojang is successful, a Bloomberg source says founder and owner Markus "Notch" Persson is "unlikely" to stay on at the Swedish studio afterwards. According to the source, which Bloomberg notes as a person "familiar with Microsoft," the two companies are finalizing details after agreeing a framework and approximate price, which The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg believe to be in excess of $2 billion. Bloomberg's insider adds Persson will remain to help during a transition period, but will probably leave the company afterwards. Yesterday The Wall Street Journal claimed Microsoft is in talks to buy Minecraft studio Mojang, and "three people with knowledge of the talks" back that up for Bloomberg. Both Microsoft and Mojang declined to comment to Bloomberg, while a Microsoft spokesperson told Joystiq, "We don't comment on rumors or speculation." According to the reports, the deal could be finalized this week.
Report: Microsoft may buy Minecraft studio Mojang
Microsoft is in serious discussions to buy Mojang, the independent Swedish studio responsible for Minecraft, in a deal estimated at more than $2 billion, The Wall Street Journal reports. An agreement could be signed this week, the site says.
'Minecraft' might actually come to virtual reality after all
Earlier this year when the Facebook purchase of Oculus VR went down, there were more than a few detractors but none as prominent as the man behind Minecraft. At the time, Markus "Notch" Persson said that his company Mojang was in talks to bring the blocky construction set to Oculus Rift, but cancelled the deal because Zuckerberg's social network creeped him out. That's all changed now. Notch recently tweeted that he's officially over being peeved about the transaction, and was now more upset about a hole in one of his favorite socks (yes, really). That musing didn't go unnoticed by Oculus. Specifically, the outfit's chief technology officer and all-around game-industry legend John Carmack, who offered: "Say the word, ship the source and I'll make sure it runs well on you-know-what..."
Oculus' Carmack to Minecraft creator: 'Say the word'
Earlier this year, Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson announced that his game would not be coming to Oculus' Rift due to the company's acquisition by Facebook. "Facebook creeps me out," Persson said. It seems those heebie-jeebies are starting to subside though, as a different life crisis has come to the forefront: "And about now I'm officially over being upset about Facebook buying Oculus," Persson recently tweeted. "I'm upset about there being a hole in my favorite sock instead." John Carmack, co-creator of Doom, Oculus convert and center of a legal battle with former employer ZeniMax, responded enthusiastically. "Say the word, ship the source, and i'll make sure It runs well on you-know-what," he wrote. Sounds nice, but we're not sure how Carmack would make Persson's sock run well on ... oh. Ohhhh. Nevermind, we just got it. We see what you did there, John. [Image: Mojang]
Minecraft enters final testing before PlayStation 4 debut
Sharpen your pickaxes and keep an eye out for Creepers as the smash-hit building/exploration sandbox Minecraft is inching ever closer to its PlayStation 4 launch, according to a tweet from developer 4J Studios. "We've handed Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition over to Sony for final test!" reads the brief message issued alongside the image you see above. As we reported a month ago, Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition brings with it a number of unique features including optional support for the DualShock 4 touchpad, save game transfers from both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and "a bunch of Sony-specific DLC coming soon after release." Once Minecraft is available on the PlayStation 4, those who own the game on PS3 will be able to upgrade to the game's new generation iteration for $5. Developer 4J Studios has yet to reveal a release date (or even a vague window) for the game's launch, but barring any catastrophes during testing we expect more information soon. [Image: 4J Studios]
What you need to know about 'Minecraft'
Chances are that if you don't play Minecraft yourself, you've probably at least heard of it or know someone who does. The charming indie game has invaded nearly every facet of pop culture, casting its blocky spell on everything from Legos to feature films and has even been used for tourism. With over 54 million copies sold, Sweden-based developer Mojang made $128 million last year largely thanks to Minecraft and has become one of the most successful game studios in the world. But what actually is Minecraft? We're glad you asked!
Minecraft maker's newest game blends cliffs, horses and Dogecoin
Markus "Notch" Persson is mainly known as the man behind Minecraft, but he's quickly developing a reputation for eccentric games that cover everything from speed typing to existential drama. If there's any doubt, you just have to look at his latest title, Cliffhorse. Yes, it's as absurd as the title suggests -- you play a horse pushing a giant ball around cliffs, and there isn't more to it than that. However, that barely-there design (which took all of two hours to build) is really the point. Persson describes the Windows-only game as a jab at developers who abuse early access programs by charging money for "minimum effort" releases, where most of the content theoretically comes later. And yes, he's aware of the irony given that he charged for Minecraft well before it was finished.
Notch launches Cliffhorse, a game about horses on cliffs
Markus "Notch" Persson's first commercial release since the mega-super-ultra hit Minecraft is a game about horses on a hillside. That makes sense. Cliffhorse puts players in control of a horse in the grassy, hilly wilderness, and it's available to download for Windows right here. The whole idea is silly, as represented by Notch's tweets introducing the game and website (read those tweets below). If you're feeling generous, you can donate some Dogecoins to the project, but the "early access" download of the game is free. Notch says Cliffhorse has earned more than 280,000 Dogecoins, or $100. If these horses hang off the sides of cliffs, are they then Cliff-horse-hangers? We think so. We. Think. So. [Image: Notch]
Notch on Minecraft, money and manic depression
Markus Persson has a 10-year plan for Mojang, the company he founded to update Minecraft and help him create new games. In the plan, Persson hopes that Mojang will continue to be profitable, but if it stops, "that's fine," he says. "We just have 10 fun years, and then, the last year, we'd say to our employees, 'If we don't make any money this year, Mojang is going to be dead. So you might want to look for new jobs,'" Persson tells Rolling Stone. Mojang is estimated to be worth $2 billion. Scrolls, Mojang's collectible card adventure, is profitable, but it makes "peanuts" next to Minecraft, Persson says. In 2013, Persson halted work on his epic space game, 0x10c, citing a creative block that wouldn't budge. He works in waves – some weeks he'll program consistently, and others he'll play Borderlands 2 all day, he tells the magazine. Persson is concerned about these patterns, since they mimic habits he saw in his father, who took medication for manic depression and committed suicide in 2011. "The depression, I'm worried about," Persson says. "With the creative stuff, I have highs of being very productive and lows of being not productive. I have that in my moods as well." Now, Persson is trying to distance himself from the pressure to create another hit game, and simply have fun developing something. His devil-may-care attitude regarding money and success is mostly a facade, he says: "I think the only way I could make something fun and big is if I don't expect it to be." [Image: Mojang]
Minecraft creator's game jam entry is Drowning in Problems
The latest online game jam in the popular Ludum Dare series carries the theme "beneath the surface," and recently ended with a total of 2,497 entries, 1,493 of which were created in 48 hours for the two-day competition. One entry comes from Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson, and is called Drowning in Problems. The browser game is two parts Cookie Clicker and one part The Sims, as players click basic text links to progress through life and "solve" issues like stress, love and money. As players grow, their attention divides among the myriad of problems to solve in their lives, spending their knowledge, money, friends, loyalty and more to receive increasingly-advanced concepts like crushed dreams and broken hearts. Completing Drowning in Problems shouldn't take more than roughly 15 minutes, though it's a thoughtful little excursion. Another attention-grabbing entry in the Ludum Dare 29 competition is The Valley Rule by Ryan Carag with music and sound provided by Bill Kiley, seen above. Created in 72 hours, the platformer gives off strong Fez and Cave Story vibes, challenging players to unlock a large door to get to the surface of the game's world, searching for keys in the area to do so. Along the way, players find abilities such as the "will to climb" that grant them access to new areas. The post-jam version of The Valley Rule is available to play at Newgrounds. Ludum Dare 29 is currently in the judging phase, which ends on Monday, May 19. [Image: Ryan Carag]
Minecraft creator's latest game trades blocks for existential angst
While the game's intro tells us, "There is nothing," there is a lot more to the little word game beneath the surface. Drowning in Problems is in fact Minecraft creator Markus Persson's entry in Ludum Dare. The contest is an accelerated game-development event where programmers create a game in a weekend based on a theme chosen by the community. The theme for this event, Ludum 29, was: beneath the surface. The game is set up with awards and costs: You start with nothing and by clicking Solve, you'll become not nothing. Clicking again gives you hope; hope gives way to a body; and you are born. The game continues this way, gradually growing in complexity as you give up things you've solved to advance in life, get a job, meet a lover and grow. From start to finish, it takes about 10 minutes to complete if you button smash, much longer if you take the time to follow the -- decidedly glum -- narrative. Hit up the link below to play it through, or, if you'd rather follow on to Ludum Dare to get the source code and learn more. And with that you'll have to excuse us as we take a bit of time to kill off some Creepers and Zombies to cheer ourselves up.
Minecraft finds vein of money, reaches 15 million sold on PC
The original, PC version of Minecraft recently reached 15 million in sales, according to a tweet from the game's creator, Markus "Notch" Persson. The game passed 14 million sold on PC in early February, and hit two other sales milestones on other platforms this month: 12 million copies on Xbox 360 and 21 million for the Pocket Edition on Android and iOS. Minecraft first arrived in alpha form in May 2009, well before its full version release in November 2011. Developer Mojang recently launched the subscription-based Minecraft Realms service for hosting multiplayer worlds, which starts at $13 per month. It plans to launch a boxed retail version of the game on PS3 in May, which sold one million copies digitally in its first month on PSN, as well as PS4 and Vita versions in Q2 or Q3 this year. The upcoming Xbox One version of Minecraft will allow players to transfer their saved worlds from Xbox 360, just like the versions for the aforementioned Sony systems. [Image: Mojang]
The Simpsons did a Minecraft intro, watch it here
The most surprising thing about the Minecraft intro that featured in last night's Simpsons episode is that it hadn't happened already. The real question, though: Is it better than this user-created version of the Simpsons intro in Minecraft? It's not every day the world's longest-running sitcom pastiches your game, so Minecraft creator Markus 'Notch' Persson tweeted his thoughts about it: "The Simpsons did a Minecraft couch gag. Not sure how I feel about it. I STILL feel a bit like it's just this small game I made at home. It's so weird to have all these things happen. <3" You can watch the episode in full on the Fox site. [Image: Mojang]
CCP still 'excited for friends and colleagues at Oculus'
News of the Oculus-Facebook buyout may have saddened gamers -- including Minecraft maestro Markus "Notch" Persson -- but EVE Online developer CCP is taking the corporate high road. The company, which is polishing a virtual reality action title called EVE: Valkyrie that will be co-published by Oculus, put a positive spin on the future of the Rift without mentioning the $2 billion Facebook acquisition. "We're very excited for our friends and colleagues at Oculus," CCP told Engadget. "We share their vision about the future of VR and gaming and are looking forward to participating in the consumer launch of the Oculus Rift with Eve: Valkyrie." CCP announced at last week's GDC that Valkyrie will also appear on the PlayStation 4 in conjunction with Sony's Project Morpheus initiative.
'Facebook creeps me out,' Notch ends Minecraft for Oculus Rift [Update]
Those eager to cobble together monumental structures in virtual reality will be sad to hear that Minecraft is no longer likely to be developed for the Oculus Rift officially. In August we reported on a series of tweets from Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson in which the developer stated that he was "VERY excited" by the potential of the Oculus Rift headset. Now that Facebook has acquired Oculus Rift, Persson is singing a different, decidedly unhappy tune. "We were in talks about maybe bringing a version of Minecraft to Oculus," Persson tweeted. "I just cancelled that deal. Facebook creeps me out." We've reached out to Persson for more information on why exactly the social networking giant creeps him out. In the meantime, those especially hard up for some blocky virtual world building may want to take a look at Minecrift, a Minecraft modification that adds Oculus Rift support to the existing version of Mojang's indie hit. Update: In lieu of responding directly to press inquiries, Persson has posted a lengthy explanation of his issues with Facebook which we've quoted in part below.
