Minecraft, one of the most successful video games of all time, is now in the hands of Microsoft. The company just bought Minecraft’s studio, Mojang, for a whopping $2.5 billion.
The deal is the largest the company has made since Satya Nadella became the CEO in February. It certainly seems like a very smart move – with over 50 million units sold (across a diverse myriad of platforms), Minecraft is one of the biggest games ever. Not only that, but gamers logged more than two billion hours of the game on the Xbox 360 alone over the last two years.
Speaking about the purchase, Nadella said: “Gaming is a top activity spanning devices, from PCs and consoles to tablets and mobile, with billions of hours spent each year. Minecraft is more than a great game franchise – it is an open world platform, driven by a vibrant community we care deeply about, and rich with new opportunities for that community and for Microsoft.”
Mojang will join Microsoft Studios, alongside the developers of Halo and Gears of War as some of the company’s biggest names. Mojang CEO Carl Manneh said about the deal: “The Minecraft players have taken the game and turned it into something that surpassed all of our expectations. The acquisition by Microsoft brings a new chapter to the incredible story of Minecraft. As the founders move on to start new projects, we believe the high level of creativity from the community will continue the game’s success far into the future.”
Originally published September 15, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
