Minecraft Creator Discusses Sale to Microsoft, "Sellout" Criticism

Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson has spoken out regarding last year's unexpected blockbuster deal that saw Persson sell developer Mojang to Microsoft for $2.5 billion.

Hypothetically asked by a fan if he thought he was a "sellout" for agreeing to the deal, Persson replied: "I kinda feel like I am, but I still feel like I made the right choice. I guess some things always come at a cost."

The fan who asked the question said he didn't really see it that way. Persson was in a way stuck between a rock and a hard place, he suggested. If he sold Minecraft, critics would say he's a sellout; if he didn't, some might see him as a one-trick pony.

Persson said: "The one-trick pony thing was hard to deal with. Matching the insane success of Minecraft would be impossible. I'm OK with it now."

He's now spending some of his time prototyping new games that he doesn't intend to ever show or release publicly. "The fun is back! Programming is annoying and frustrating, but SO MUCH FUN," he said, explaining that these projects--if they are ever released--aren't intended to match the success of Minecraft.

Persson was believed to have a 70 percent stake in Mojang, meaning he made somewhere in the area of $1.75 billion from the sale to Microsoft. He has since left Mojang and purchased a $70 million mega-mansion in Beverly Hills.