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Lego Movie producer tapped for 'potential' Minecraft movie
Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson has revealed that a movie based on the wildly popular sandbox creation game may be headed to theaters at some point in the future. "Someone is trying leak the fact that we're working with Warner Brothers on a potential Minecraft Movie," Persson tweeted. "I wanted to be the leak!" According to a Deadline report, Warner Bros. recently acquired the rights to make a Minecraft film from developer Mojang, and has tapped The Lego Movie producer Roy Lee to oversee the project. Beyond Persson's lone tweet and Deadline's mention of a producer, no information on this Minecraft movie exists, though we can be reasonably sure that it won't be a documentary on the game. Thanks to 2 Player Productions, we've already got one of those. [Image: Mojang]
Minecraft PC surpasses 14 million sold
The original PC version of Minecraft has sold 14 million worldwide, a figure that takes the game's total sales past the 35 million mark, at the very least. That 35 million figure is based on numbers previously given by Mojang for other platforms, including the 10 mill for the mobile Pocket Edition - that was back in May 2013. In truth, the total sales are probably a million or two more. Bearing in mind Mojang still has lucrative PS4 and Xbox One versions in the works, we can only imagine creator Markus 'Notch' Persson has his own Scrooge McDuck-style money bin towering over the hills of deepest Sweden, with a giant, golden beard emblazoned on the front. If he doesn't, he is truly wasting his life. [Image: Mojang]
Notch: 'No current plans' for Minecraft on Wii U
Minecraft developer Mojang has been building bridges to all kinds of platforms for ports of its build-what-you-want hit, but we think we've all been wondering the same thing - when will we be able to construct pixel art of classic gaming sprites using the Wii U GamePad? Judging by Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson's recent tweet stating he was not "aware of any plans" for a Wii U version, the answer is probably not any time soon. Notch acknowledged that a Wii U version of Minecraft "would make sense," but explained that the "only reason for no current plans is [Mojang has] too much work already." While it is a denial of any progress being made on a Wii U port, it's a bit more promising than Minecraft Lead Designer Jens Bergensten's comment in March about a Wii U version being "very unlikely." Maybe when Mojang finds some downtime, though with work still being done on Scrolls and Minecraft Realms, downtime seems like a distant concept for the studio at the moment.
Unearth minecarts, new food in Minecraft: Pocket Edition update
If you've been getting your Minecraft fix on the go via the mobile-exclusive Minecraft: Pocket Edition, consider this your lucky day: A new, free update has added minecarts, rails and a host of other additions to this portable member of the Minecraft family. The biggest additions are obviously the minecarts, rails and powered rails that should make setting up your own blocky mining business a relatively simple affair. New blocks have also been added to the game, lending your creations iron bars, new versions of wood, haybales and other items. Likewise, the virtual pantry has expanded and now players will find foods such as carrots, potatoes and pumpkins - some or all of which can be used in new cooking recipes. Amazon's listing for the game has a full run-down on all the new additions, though if you'd prefer your game to come from a slightly different multinational corporation, you could always try Google Play or the iOS App Store to feed your blocky addiction.
Minecraft coming to PS3 on December 17
Minecraft will launch on PS3 on December 17 (tomorrow) in North America, a PlayStation Blog post revealed. The developer in charge of the port, 4J Studios, announced in November that the PS3 version of the game would arrive ahead of next-gen consoles. 4J Studios is still developing PS4 and PlayStation Vita versions, which will land sometime next year, though it's unknown if the game will be cross-compatible or feature any remote play options. The PS3 version will be "pretty much identical" to other console versions of the game. DLC and texture packs for the game will be available on PSN "soon after release." No price was listed for the game, though it launched on Xbox 360 for $20. In terms of its appearance on home consoles, Minecraft was exclusive to Xbox 360 since it launched in May 2012. That iteration of the game recently celebrated its 10 millionth sale.
Minecraft tops 10 million on Xbox 360, celebrates with half-off DLC
No stranger to huge sales numbers, the people behind the Xbox 360 iteration of Minecraft have reacted to word that the game has sold more than ten million units in the best way possible: massive discounts for the game's dedicated fans. Come Saturday, December 14, nearly every skin and texture pack DLC addition for Minecraft Xbox 360 will be reduced in price by 50 percent. We say "nearly" because while all of the standard packs will be discounted, those special mash-up packs merging Minecraft with content from another game - Skyrim, for instance - will not see a drop in price. No reason is offered for this exclusion, though it's less likely a shadowy games industry conspiracy than simple common licensing issues preventing these packs from appearing in the discounted slate.
Notch turned down job offer at Valve to create Mojang
Back in 2010, when Minecraft was first starting to take off, Valve flew out Markus "Notch" Persson to its headquarters for "a cup of coffee." In an excerpt of the English translation of Daniel Goldberg's Minecraft: The Unlikely Tale of Markus 'Notch' Persson and the Game that Changed Everything, posted by AllThingsD, Notch explains that at the time Valve was either interested in buying Minecraft or offering Notch a job. It ended up being the latter. Notch visited Valve that September, took part in a programming exercise and even met Gabe Newell before being officially offered a job, which he ended up turning down. Despite being a dream offer for Notch, he was much more interested in starting his own company than working for Valve. Soon after, Mojang – which he co-founded with Jakob Porser – was formed. "Somehow, I felt that Minecraft was maybe my chance to create a Valve, rather than work at Valve." You can pick up Minecraft: The Unlikely Tale of Markus 'Notch' Persson and the Game that Changed Everything on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
Minecraft enables one-click Twitch broadcasting on PC, Mac
Sharing footage of your finest blocky creations just became much easier with the addition of simple, one-click Twitch streaming to the PC and Mac incarnations of Minecraft. Though this agreement was outlined at the recent MineCon event, it wasn't until today that things changed within Minecraft. Now, after a quick visit to enable streaming in your account settings, you can stream gameplay footage at a moment's notice simply by pressing the F6 key. If any of that sounds too complicated, don't worry: the video above serves as a walkthrough of Minecraft's new streaming features. The only caveat here is that Twitch support is currently only available to Minecraft players under Windows and OS X. We have contacted Twitch to ask if the game's Linux version might also see streaming options in the future and are currently awaiting a response. Update: It looks like Linux streaming is not happening, at least not yet. Twitch replied to our inquiry, saying "Currently, Twitch for Minecraft only supports Windows (Vista and later) and Mac OS X (10.8, 10.9). Linux support is currently not planned due to licensing issues surrounding the encoding software."
Watch 2 Players' Minecraft documentary for free on YouTube
2 Player Productions uploaded Minecraft: The Story of Mojang to YouTube over the weekend, so if you've got a spare block (guffaw) in your schedule, now you've got a way to fill it up. Like when 2 Player brought its film to The Pirate Bay at launch, the docu-specialist studio asks for financial support through DVD and DRM-free download purchases. The 100-minute film explores the phenomenal rise of Swedish indie studio Mojang in its first year, featuring interviews with Markus 'Notch' Persson and other team members, as well as cameos from industry luminaries like Perter Moylneux and Tim Schafer. The film's arrival comes hot on the heels of Notch's star turn as a guest on The Late Late Show.
Notch eating chocolate and talking games on The Late Late Show
Markus "Notch" Persson, the creator of Minecraft and all-around high-profile indie game developer, guest starred on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson last night. The two gents talked about the games Notch plays – apparently he's into everything, but he really enjoys Grand Theft Auto – and the "games" Ferguson plays, such as Mario Kart. According to Notch, that one deserves the air quotes. Ferguson said he looked up Notch online and discovered one of the industry's darkest secrets – the gaming world is catty. "It seems like there's quite a lot of bitchiness in your world," he said. "Quite a lot of people are like, 'I hate him, he created Minecraft! How dare he not be me.'" Notch agreed, but said he too was irrationally protective of the games he plays. C'est la vie. If you missed Notch on The Late Late Show, don't worry – he was easy to miss because he pointedly wasn't wearing a fedora – there's a full clip of the interview here.
Minecraft's Notch to appear on The Late Late Show this Thursday
Hold on to your fedoras, everyone – Markus Persson, better known as "Notch" and even better known as "the creator of Minecraft," is making his talk show debut on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Thursday, November 7. This isn't only the first appearance for Notch on a mainstream talk show, but it's the first time an independent game developer has graced such a program in recent memory. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime doesn't capture quite the same vibe as Notch. Minecraft has sold more than 30 million copies across all current platforms, it's coming to next-gen consoles, it has its own convention and it's a Lego set, which is obviously the most relevant indicator of success. Speaking of hats (yes, we were), bets are now open: Will Notch wear a fedora during his appearance on The Late Late Show?
Notch explains decision to axe 0x10c, concentrate on 'smaller' games
When Marcus "Notch" Persson cancelled 0x10c, he laid the blame at the feet of a "weird creative block" that hampered his game development. In his blog, however, he has revealed that it was the sheer weight of fan expectation that killed the highly-anticipated space-sim. The Minecraft creator was so concerned about becoming "another under-delivering visionary game designer" that he'd rather ice the project than do a George Lucas. Instead, he's going to concentrate on producing smaller games away from the public eye, adding that he's looking forward to playing Project Trillek, 0x10c's spiritual successor, when it's done.
Minecraft creator scraps '0x10c' spaceship game, but fans run with concept
After suffering a "creative block" with development of his 0x10c project, Markus "Notch" Persson has definitively killed the idea, saying he has "no future aspirations" for it. The keenly anticipated game involved space travelers who wake up after an eons-long hypersleep and have to deal with enemies and other problems aboard their spaceship. He broke the news to disappointed fans on a livestream, but some have decided to keep the idea alive via community effort called Project Trillek. While they'd drop the whole cryosleep bit, the team would keep the concept of a crew navigating space and managing their craft with a 16-bit CPU, Minecraft-style. We're glad it's not dead yet, but whether it can survive the vacuum of a Notch-less space remains to be seen.
Notch shelves space game 0x10c, but its legacy lives on in fan project
Markus "Notch" Persson, creator of the legendarily successful Minecraft, has shelved his spaceship management/space exploration/space-y stuff game 0x10c, but a group of dedicated fans wants to bring it back... kind of. 0x10c was put on ice back in April due to a "creative block," but Persson told viewers of a Team Fortress 2 livestream this week that it would never be coming off said metaphorical ice, as he had no future aspirations for it. Naturally, some fans were upset. Others took it upon themselves to make sure the game was made, even if they had to do it themselves. Shane Dalton, Project Lead of the 0x10c revival, told USGamer that he and his team "didn't really look into" why Notch cancelled the game. "We just sort of looked at the project and were like, 'Okay. This is a community project now.' We're not using any of his old code, his name or anything," he said. Dalton's team also isn't using the game's name, and instead will be referring to it as "Project Trillek" for now. Dalton and his team also have no plans to monetize the game once it's released. All that seems to be staying the same between 0x10c and Project Trillek is Persson's core gameplay concept, where humans must navigate space and manage their spaceship, which features a fully-functional 16-bit CPU. Update: It has come to our attention that the team behind Project Trillek does not plan on using 0x10c's original story concept. The text of this article has been updated accordingly.
Notch develops zombie shooter Shambles in FPS game jam
Minecraft creator Markus Persson (aka Notch) participated in this year's 7DFPS developer challenge, a week-long game jam centered around first-person shooters. Persson's entry is Shambles, a Unity-based shooter that drops players in the middle of a zombie apocalypse with 50 bullets and 100 health points. Players don't just hunt zombies in Shambles, though, as soldiers drop weapons and civilians drop health packs when killed, turning survival into a balancing act. As with other 7DFPS games, don't expect Shambles to offers hours of entertainment, but it's a nifty way to pass a little free time.
Minecraft convention heads to sunny Orlando in November
Minecon 2013, the third annual Minecraft convention, will be held in Orlando, Florida, from November 2 - 3, with tickets and hotels available in July. Notch says he chose Orlando by spinning a globe and sticking a sword through it, but we assume there are other reasons for his pick. Obviously, Orlando is the sole home of Universal Studios' magical theme park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Also, the weather in November should be absolutely lovely. Minecon 2012 was held in Disneyland Paris in November and drew in 7,000 fans, and the previous year it set up shop in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2011 event saw 5,000 attendees, and it hosted impressive scale models of real-life Minecraft beasts, including a 40 foot Enderdragon.
Mojang's Scrolls launches in open beta today, $20 gets you access
Mojang's best known for the indie blockbuster Minecraft, but today heralds the launch of the open beta for its new game, Scrolls. It's been a long time coming, and the title itself was the focus of a courtroom squabble, as much as Notch would've liked to hash out the early roadblock in a rocket-filled arena. While it's admittedly not "feature complete," you can test your card-battling skills in casual and ranked online match-ups. The card trading forum is up and running, as is the in-game store for bolstering your deck using gold earned through triumph, and "shards" purchased with real dough. You can tweak your deck using the builder and 25 trials are available off the bat to school you in strategy. Access to the open beta will cost you $20, £13 or 15 euros, but really, you're buying the full game early, as all future updates will be free to beta adopters. The purchase page isn't live just yet, but it'll be available to download for PC and Mac at some point today. Hit the source link to brush up on the mechanics if you can't wait to attack the trials, or check out the trailer below for a quick fix.
Minecraft creator launches browser-based Drop, makes us wish we'd taken touch-typing lessons
Must try harder. Update: Bonus points if you press the space bar as you play! [Thanks Giuliop!]
Notch launches Drop, inspired by Super Hexagon, Fez and letters
In lieu of his Ludum Dare game, Notch today launched a Unity game called Drop, available online for free. Notch is, of course, the mastermind behind Minecraft, and Drop is a quick exercise in rapid wordsmithery, spinning and catchy tunes.Notch attributes inspiration for Drop to Super Hexagon, the ceiling of his apartment and the ending of Fez, and after playing for a little while, that all sounds about right. We would also throw in a vibe from Pippin Barr's 30 Flights of Loathing and Pottermore's Spells game.If you have some time today, maybe make nimble your fingers and give Drop a go. But first try to say that sentence five times fast.
0x10c 'on ice' due to creative block
0x10c, Mojang co-founder and Minecraft inventor Markus Persson's first-person spaceship management game, has been put on the back burner until the developer can rid himself of a "weird creative block," Persson told Polygon."It's just some kind of weird creative block that's been going on for too long," Persson said, "and [0x10c] is going to be put on ice until we can fix that. I'm very excited about the actual game. We have two prototypes going on now. It's not really fun yet, but it feels like it could be fun because there's nothing to do in there yet." Persson also said that another developer has been brought in to assist with the project and ensure that the game is actually made, regardless of whether Mojang ever actually releases it. Should it prove fun enough to be released, however, a potential launch is still a "ways off."
