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Minecraft: Pocket Edition gets a facelift with update 0.10
Minecraft: Pocket Edition was patched to version 0.10 this week, an update that brought with it not only the usual bug fixes and general improvements (baby animals can now swim instead of sinking like rocks to a watery grave, for example), but visual enhancements as well. A graphical update may sound strange for a game where the entire aesthetic design is based around low-resolution blocks, but the differences should be noticeable. As described by the official Minecraft: Pocket Edition Twitter account, there is now "more watery-looking water," "foggier-looking fog," "even more particles," and "tinted lighting on terrain and mobs." Of course, it's fine to be happy that you won't be murdering some poor baby animal just by setting it in water anymore. That's okay, too. [Image: Microsoft]
Microsoft completes acquisition of Minecraft studio
Microsoft has successfully acquired Minecraft developer Mojang, completing a $2.5 billion purchase announced in September. Minecraft earned a reported $326 million in revenue in 2013 across game sales, ports and merchandising. Minecraft creator and Mojang co-founder Markus "Notch" Persson has since departed the company, expressing a desire to "go back to doing Ludum Dares and small web experiments." Microsoft retained close ties with Mojang following the launch of the million-selling Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition in 2012, and followed up with a recent Xbox One port. For more insight regarding Mojang's acquisition, check out our comprehensive timeline of events leading up to the purchase. [Image: Microsoft]
Final release version of Scrolls set to unfurl in November
Mojang's card battle game Scrolls has existed in an open beta state since June, but it's nearly time to release the final version, according to a statement made by the developer to Touch Arcade. Er ... maybe. "The guesstimate is late November," Mojang's Owen Hill told Touch Arcade. "But we're not going to release it until it's ready, if you know what I mean." Mojang recently announced a price drop for the PC version of the game, from $20 to $5, to keep it competitive with other products on mobile platforms. However, when the game launches on iOS, players will be able to download the game for free and play several games as a "dummy" user. A $5 in-app purchase will unlock the full game. And for those concerned about corporate overlords imposing their will onto a smaller company, Hill told Touch Arcade that he doesn't expect Microsoft's recent acquisition of Mojang to impact their future plans regarding Scrolls. "There's a good chance that the only effect is that we'll have to add a Microsoft logo to the launcher or something." [Image: Mojang]
Minecraft's 'Titan City' took two years, 4.5 million blocks to build
What you see here is a labor of love -- emphasis on labor. 19-year-old Delaware student Duncan Parcells spent two years hand-building "Titan City" in the Xbox 360 version of Minecraft, releasing finished versions this week for Microsoft's console and for PC platforms. Titan City's furnished buildings, underground network, and above-ground rail system comprise 4.5 million blocks in all. I once made a hut out of dirt. [Video: Mojang / Duncan Parcells]
Report: UK PS4 bundle to include Minecraft, FIFA 15
According to an MCV report, Sony devotees in the UK planning to pick up a PlayStation 4 will soon have a new option to consider: a bundle including the console, FIFA 15 and Minecraft for £350. That price point matches that of the Glacier White PlayStation 4, which will be appearing in the UK on October 17. We attempted to contact Sony to see if there's any chance the aforementioned bundle might appear outside of the UK - specifically, in North America - but the company would neither confirm the UK bundle, nor reveal an upcoming bundle aimed at the North American audience. Given the relative popularity of the FIFA series (and soccer in general) in the UK versus North America, it would come as little surprise if the bundle were exclusive to that side of the Atlantic. [Image: EA]
Report: Minecraft movie finds its builder
Deadline reports that Night at the Museum director Shawn Levy is in talks with Warner Bros. to help develop the feature film based on Mojang's $2.5 billion giant, Minecraft. With production helmed by the same producer behind the popular LEGO Movie, Roy Lee, the Minecraft property offers Warner Bros. both quality brand recognition and a canvas free of strict narrative. Levy has a proclivity for shaping high concepts into "hit films," such as his work on Real Steel and the Night at the Museum series, Deadline notes. Language in the report is unclear, but it seems to indicate Levy would also act as director for the project, beyond helping shape the film: "Warner Bros is in talks with Shawn Levy to develop to direct Minecraft." Warner Bros. acquired the film rights to Minecraft in February 2014.
Minecraft coming to Windows Phone, 'much to do' says dev
It shouldn't be surprising that not even a month after Microsoft purchased Minecraft developer Mojang, there is word that Minecraft: Pocket Edition will find a new home on the Windows Phone platform. "Yes, Minecraft: Pocket Edition *is* coming to the Windows Phone," tweeted Jens Bergensten, the game's lead developer. That's good news for Windows Phone owners, but don't get too excited just yet. While the port is in running condition,"there's still much to do before any release," Bergensten wrote. So far, Bergensten has refrained from speculating any release window or target. [Image: Microsoft]
Minecraft Vita rolls into EU next week, NA date still unconfirmed
Minecraft continues its charge onto new systems with a European launch for Vita on October 15. 4J Studios, the UK team porting the sandbox game, tweeted there isn't a confirmed date as yet for North America, adding "hopefully we'll hear soon." The portable version of Minecraft is cross-buy with its PS3 sibling, meaning if you've already bought the game on PSN for PS3, you can also get it free on Vita, and vice-versa. Back in May, developer Mojang said the asking price is $20 as per PS3, you can transfer saves between PS3 and Vita, and DLC purchases are active across both editions.
Minecraft: Xbox One Edition blocks shelves in November
A boxed, retail version of Minecraft for Xbox One is slated to hit shelves on November 18 in the US, Microsoft announced today. In-store, Minecraft: Xbox One Edition is $20. The digital edition of Minecraft hit Xbox One early in September. Those who own Minecraft on Xbox 360 are able to upgrade to the digital Xbox One version for $5 – to be clear, that trade-up system doesn't apply to the retail version. Microsoft purchased Minecraft studio Mojang for $2.5 billion earlier this month, and Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson announced he'd step away from the company to return to his experimental, Ludum Dare roots. [Image: Microsoft]
'Doctor Who' skins for 'Minecraft' hit Xbox 360 this Friday
Fancy yourself a master of the Sonic Screwdriver? Well, in a few days you can put those skills to the test... in Minecraft, that is. Whether you're a timelord fanperson or a Dalek-sympathizer, you'll be able to show it off once the Doctor Who skin pack hits the Xbox 360 version of the pixely build-your-own-adventure on Friday. As if you needed another reason to look forward to this weekend, yeah? PlayXBLA (Microsoft's official blog for Xbox Live Arcade news) still doesn't mention any word of an Xbox One release, but considering that the company recently paid $2.5 billion for the game's developer, Mojang, we expect to hear it break the, ahem, silence on that soon.
Mojang drops price, doles out freebies for Scrolls tablet launch
Scrolls, Mojang's - or is it Microsoft's? - card battle game, will see a price drop of more than 75 percent when it launches this fall, the developer announced on its blog this week. This means that the normally $21 game will drop to $5, regardless of platform. If you've already dropped a Jackson and Washington on the game, that might sound like bad news - but there are several upsides. First, those who have already purchased the game will receive the $20 shard package, which allows players to purchase new scrolls, pre-constructed decks and player avatars, free of charge. Also, not only will the price be the same across platforms, but so will gameplay; Scrolls players on tablets will be able to compete with those on PC and Mac, as well as have their collections and progress transfer from one version to the other. "Our current price of $21 isn't feasible for tablets," Owen Hill of Mojang wrote. "As you probably already know, games are cheap on those things. Free-to-play would be an option, but we're not keen on the way that that form of monetisation can affect gameplay." [Image: Mojang]
Rust creator on Mojang sale: 'I'd have done the same thing'
Rust and Garry's Mod creator Garry Newman has some thoughts regarding the recent purchase of Mojang by Microsoft to the tune of $2.5 billion. Specifically, Newman gives some insight as to reasons why he views the sale as a positive thing. "Once you start hiring people your whole attitude changes. You're not just fucking about with your life anymore, you're fucking about with other people's lives – and the lives of their families. You can't just sell out and fuck everyone over," Newman wrote on his blog. "I am sure more than the top guys at Mojang became very financially rich due to this deal and that's something that should be admired – not seen as a bad thing." "Long story short. I'd have done the same thing," Newman wrote. Hear that, Microsoft? The game about naked men with rocks who become clothed men with guns could be yours for the low, low price of another $2.5 billion. [Image: Mojang]
Why is Microsoft buying Minecraft?
Microsoft announced this week that it's buying hugely popular game franchise Minecraft for $2.5 billion. For that money, Microsoft gets rights to the game and ownership of its Stockholm, Sweden-based development studio, Mojang. It doesn't retain the company's founders or Minecraft's infamously outspoken creator, Markus "Notch" Persson. Does that sound like a lot, $2.5 billion? Well, it is in human dollars, but not so much when you're Microsoft and you've got $85 billion in "cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments." Regardless of the fact that this week's deal only cost Microsoft around 3 percent of that, here's the real kicker (in the form of a statement from Microsoft): "Microsoft expects the acquisition to be break-even in FY15 on a GAAP basis." Woof, that's a doozy of a sentence right there. Here's the translation: Microsoft expects the purchase of Minecraft/Mojang to make it a lot of money. And that is why Microsoft bought Minecraft.
Minecraft's PS4 incarnation reaches retail stores in October
Following the recent digital debut of Minecraft on the PlayStation 4, Sony has revealed that the sandbox construction game will also appear on store shelves on October 7. Like its Xbox One counterpart, the PlayStation 4 version of Minecraft is based largely on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 ports of the game, which are themselves stripped down versions of the PC original. Owing to improved hardware however, the PlayStation 4's Minecraft feature worlds "36 times bigger" than its PlayStation 3 counterpart. As with the digital version of Minecraft, players with existing saved games on either the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 will be able to transfer their progress to the PlayStation 4 game and quickly resume where they left off. Lacking from this announcement is any word on the long-awaited Vita version of Minecraft, but Sony claims that more information on that game will appear "in a few weeks," including word on how cross-buy functionality will work for those who already own Minecraft on another Sony gaming machine. [Image: 4J Studios]
Conan O'Brien tackles Minecraft dev's $2.5B acquisition
We covered the events leading up to Microsoft's purchase of Minecraft developer Mojang this week, but didn't stop to consider how its creators plan to spend all that cash. Comedian Conan O'Brien addresses this vital issue in the clip above, making Notch's motives much clearer. Good job, Minecraft Guy. [Video: Team Coco]
Engadget Daily: Microsoft buys 'Minecraft' developer Mojang, Google unveils Android One, and more!
The rumors were true: Microsoft is buying Minecraft developer Mojang for $2.5 billion. Crazy, right? That's not all that happened today though. Go ahead and spice up your Monday with Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours. You know you want to.
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."
Why did Microsoft pay $2.5 billion for Minecraft creator Mojang?
Microsoft confirmed its $2.5 billion purchase of Minecraft developer Mojang today, with Microsofts's Head of Xbox division Phil Spencer noting that the acquisition "adds diversity to our game portfolio and helps us reach new gamers across multiple platforms." It's a big chunk of change to spend on an independent studio founded in 2010, but its juggernaut product has since sold over 15 million units and spawned a merchandising empire. Minecraft earned a reported $326 million in revenue last year, continuing its year-on-year trend of increased profitability. Creator Markus Persson expressed a desire to move away from Minecraft earlier this year following a notable shift in indie development culture, however. "The current indie scene is as new for the people making games as it is for the audience," Joystiq editor Jess Conditt wrote. "Indie developers don't have trained PR teams to guide them through the drama; many don't know that the press and public will take their tweets seriously; some of them aren't even sure what an embargo is. They receive death threats and then react like candid humans when the audience expects them to behave like detached professionals." "As soon as this deal is finalized, I will leave Mojang and go back to doing Ludum Dares and small web experiments. If I ever accidentally make something that seems to gain traction, I'll probably abandon it immediately," Persson said in reference to the Microsoft purchase. Here's a quick rundown of the events that led up to today's deal.
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."
