Minecraft Creator Discusses Sale to MS "Sellout" Criticism

Come and listen to a story about a man named Markus

A poor Dev -aneer, barely kept his family fed,

Then one day he was mining for some food,

And up through the ground came a bubblin Microsoft.

Money that is, Green gold, Texas tea.

Well the first thing you know ol Markus is a millionaire,

Kinfolk said "Markus move away from there"

Said "Californy is the place you ought to be"

So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly.

Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.

Well now its time to say good by to Markus and all his kin.

And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.

You're all invited back a gain to this locality

To have a heapin helpin of their hospitality

Hillybilly that is. Set a spell, Take your shoes off.

Y'all come back now, y'hear?. :P

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Anyhoo, I couldn't resist, that's one lucky sum gun.

So, how do you think MS will capitalize on the IP with X1 in mind?

Thoughts?

The Story.

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http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-creator-discusses-sale-to-microsoft-sell/1100-6425368/

Minecraft Creator Discusses Sale to Microsoft, "Sellout" Criticism

Markus "Notch" Persson says he "kinda" feels like a sellout, but says it was the right move to make.

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.

Never cared for the whole "you're a sellout" calling in any media industy. Most of the fans only consume the end product and know very little about what goes on, which leads to tons of baseless speculation.

He made the game, and he can do whatever he wants with it

Agreed, who in their right mind wouldn't have took the pot of gold.

I actually don't blame him. He already made a boat load from Game sales alone and Microsoft just gave him a lot of money to retire.

$2.5 billion dollars, that's all that really needs to be said, I wouldn't blame them for "selling out'.

That was still an awesome day. What a huge win for indie game development (I'm serious), and what a wonderful shake-up for fans of an industry that desperately needed shaking up.

If I had that 1.7 Billion of his, I'd buy slaves. And an amusement park in my backyard. Which would all be surrounded by my castle walls, which would be inside my alligator filled moat.

And then I'd cure cancer and create a new type of cold fusion.

Minecraft has the potential of going down in history as the most played game in history... There are literally human generations of gaming left to be done in the vanilla game alone... Its a mass phenomenon of which I dare say has few, if any equal when it comes to success...

In that case... I think he can do whatever he wants with the game... I'd have sold it too. Ain't no person in their right mind who's gonna thumb their nose at a BILLION with a B to save some E-cred... Lets not be silly.

+100 Now that's the spirit, need more of this in SW, good stuff. :)

This feels old. He already explained himself when he first sold it. He didn't want to become the sole face and name of a product and thus have all the scrutiny and blame thrust his way when people are unhappy.

For that kind of cash I would push the button to start WWIII and sleep like a baby that night. Sell out or not, you take that opportunity.

He built a company and sold it. Not sure what there's to criticize.

Who can blame him? That kind of money is almost impossible to turn down.

I Would have sold out for 1/10 of that money...

It's kind of impossible to blame the guy. I mean, he can literally drive a McLaren P1 off a cliff every day for the rest of his life and still have money left over to snort coke out of the ass crack of Vida Guerra going down on Natalie Portman on his own personal Carnival cruise ship being pushed with imported baby seals.

Like, seriously. Rage moar.

i will never understand how can a grown up man play mincraft. its like playing legos at age of 25 or something

people just like to hate on successful people because they have shit lives

Who wouldn't fucking take the money? It's so damn much.

Man, people can be really fucking stupid.

Heh. If I had the same oppurtunity he had, I would've gladly taken the money and not regretted the decision. He's not a sellout, far from it.

I agree with this, but there are plenty of games adults play here that i feel the same way about so ....

either way, I do 100% understand the appeal to kids and i think kids make up a large majority of its player base. my kids are addicted to it like crack so i have to pretend its awesome lol. "daddy look i made a cabin" "wow that is so amazing" Cringe

This has been my take on many topics involving the devs or creators of a game. Its their creation. They can call it what they want, do with it what they want, change it how they want, and take the money for it if they want. No way would I have said no to MS. For what? Gaming forum praise?

Now Notch is no looker but just look at that ass hanging out at his new $70 million home.

Awesome pictures. Notch sure is nailing the puntang these days, I'm sure.

He obviously did the right choice. lol

Yea but what did he buy his parents?

What is there not to understand. I mean how can anyone at the age of 25 still play video games and even post in gaming forums. But that's the beauty of gaming, there is no age limit and you could play whatever you want. Besides I bet 25 year olds are probably the ones making these type of games. Legos are like mods in the gaming world, mods should be fun for anyone at any age. So the MineCraft world may look childish but I've seen gamers build complex things which isn't child's play. That's the appeal to MineCraft, that's the appeal to modding I guess, to create things. Creativity doesn't have an age limit.

As for the MineCraft dude, I'm glad he left on top with something rather than having his gaming company shut down with nothing. Seems like if you don't have a successful game, you'll have a hard time trying to make your gaming company successful too especially when you're an Indie. It seems like most gaming companies we know are backed up by a bigger company. That's how it is in this gaming business I guess. Now after he travels around the world like 10 times, maybe that's when he can get creative again and make a new company with new projects. Who knows, maybe one day they could sell millions again.

Hell yeah I'd sell out too if I was offered that much. Minecraft seems to be a one hit wonder so its pretty smart to do this

Grow up.

He says he's very happy doing small experiments in games. He's not concerned with having a big follow up to minecraft. Anyone in this life is lucky to make ONE influential thing, now he's supposed to make ten to validate the first thing? Fudge that.

Take the money and run. He's a programmer who found the motherlode. Good for him.

Let's not act like hes an auteur or something, though. He's no Hideo, or Miyamoto, or Ueda. He became a Billionaire and he'll probably never contribute anything to gaming or live up to Minecraft ever again. He can do like Orson Welles and eat and drink himself to death.

if a company came with a big bag of money for my product hell yeah i would sell.

those women are only with him cuz of his bank roll WHORES omFG they only care about his money and his PAD they dont care about him

do you even sense bro?

I would've sold out for 1/2 of that...

The dude is a billionaire now... nothing else matters. Call him whatever you want, he's rolling in money, you're not, suck it.

lol

I'd be curious to know at what number MS started at when negotiating the deal. The dude most of had a great poker face to get MS to go the length they did to get the IP.