We’ve heard that Microsoft was interested in acquiring Minecraft creator Mojang AB for a sum of around $2 billion. We’re now hearing that the deal is worth more than that original sum and is set to happen very soon. As soon as this coming Monday.
Reuters claim that “sources briefed on the matter” say that the deal is worth $2.5 billion and is to be unveiled on Monday. With the reason behind the acquisition being Microsoft wanting to be part of Minecraft’s massive cultural phenomenon. According to Dave Bisceglia, CEO of independent game studio Tap Lab:
“It seems like Microsoft is looking at Mojang and Minecraft as a way to tap into this enormous cultural phenomenon. If you look at iOS, Minecraft has been a top-grossing game for quite some time, if Microsoft could on Windows phones give players a unique and compelling experience that you can’t get on the other platforms, that could be a driver to sell devices to existing Minecraft fans”.
While Minecraft is currently available on the Xbox, it is nowhere to be found on Windows Phones, or the Windows Store for that matter. This acquisition will most likely change that. Whether or not this will result in the iOS and Android versions being pulled is yet to be seen, however that does seem unlikely considering Microsoft’s new mobile-first, cloud-first approach that saw Office make its debut on iOS and Android earlier this year.
Further reading: Acquisitions, Microsoft, Minecraft
