What Microsoft buying Mojang means for Playstation, Nintendo, PC and mobile fans

GGG writes about what the potential sale of Mojang to Microsoft could mean for other console, PC and mobile players.

[98xpresent]

Nothing for Nintendo

[mrbojingles]

That would be the point. There was already little chance of Minecraft on 3DS/Wii U or future Nintendo systems but after this sale its literally impossible.

[mikeslemonade]

As a new X1 owner, I'm happy for Microsoft to buy out developers. This is better for gamers. Developers can focus on making one better version of the game.

[starchild]

Nah, I don't like when Sony or Microsoft buy established developers. They should simply build new studios from the ground up. That way they are actually creating something new and adding to gaming, not merely buying something to keep it away from competing platforms, whether a game or an entire studio.

[Saigon]

Yeah, but is a gaming company really worth that much money. Are they expected to see a return in their investment. Think it was just for too much...

[sinspirit]

@mikeslemonade

1. It's worse for gamers, because it's one of the most iconic multiplatform games in the past decade, everyone knows about it and most gamers have played it. Now many people won't get to play it.

2. Mojang doesn't even focus on the other platforms; they pay other studios to port it so it's not like they are actually focusing on more versions themselves.

3. Why would you be happy for Microsoft to buy out developers? Do you know the state of Microsoft's first party developers? The new Halo trilogy is utter nonsense and forced sequels with generic plot behind it all for the sake of pushing out more Halo products. Fable has been ruined and now there is a spin off that has nothing to do with a Fable game other than where it takes place. Forza is making almost no strides whatsoever in sequels other than looking at your car and adding a few more. Their policies and history show bleak futures for all of their current XBox projects unless they actually revised their previous attitude and put real gamers and passionate developers in charge.

@starchild

Exactly. 100% well said. We need new games. Not exclusive contracts and exploiting sell outs just to keep something away from competitors. New Tomb Raider is exclusive? Okay? How many times has Microsoft bragged about Hollywood writers and Steven Spielberg but they neglect to actually make an original AAA project with any story-line? We've been getting rehashed projects and sequels made because someone wanted money rather than someone came up with an idea for the next game.

[Concertoine]

@Saigon

Considering the sales of Minecraft across all its platforms and the sheer amount of minecraft merch sold every day... there's no question they'll be making money.

[redwin]

@sinspirit, I guess you don't have a Xbox. Interesting , people get angry because MS buys things and you see the Xbox owners happy. I can see you where happy when squarenix was just making game for the PS....... MS loves their gamers, the prove is with the anger with whom is not a Xbox owner. From where I'm standing there is nothing but love. Xboxlive is the best network around.

[redwin]

But of course , I didn't think that what I was going to write would be taking lightly. But i am here with my Xbox and I'm very happy with it. It's just the way it is, thank you MS.

[ShinMaster]

@ starchild

The difference with Sony is that when a developer pitches a game to Sony, they like it, help fund it and if it succeeds they become one of Sony's studios.

When Microsoft buys a developer, such as Rare, they destroy them along with the franchises.

[sinspirit]

@redwin

Ohh.. Okay.. I get it now...

So.. Microsoft LOVES gamers and especially their XBox gamers that they would spend $2billion or more on one small studio rather than on multiple new studios to give a couple AAA titles. I can feel the love.

I hope that Microsoft also buys Square Enix, Rockstar, and Blizzard/Activision. I didn't know money bought love.. But, now that you have assured me that acquiring studios that would have released games on their console anyways would be better than spending that money on whole new games and studios altogether I just don't know what I was thinking!

Now I realize that simply being owned by Microsoft simply makes everything better and is oodles of love.

That's just too much sarcasm.

Seriously. It's like the only child with rich parents with no time for him/her situation. Microsoft is the rich parent. You think they love you just because they preoccupy you with PR stunts and spending a lot of money just to make you forget about their last promises and take their word on new ones?

Microsoft buys studios to make you, as a metaphor, shut up for a little while.

The new Tomb Raider was going to be on both consoles. What's the difference between being X1 exclusive or not? No PS4 version? That's a bonus for you? And you're a gamer? It's not a bragging rights game. It's about which console brings more onto the table to try and attract all. Instead, you and MS think it's about taking things off the table for competitors.

Do you think XBox doesn't have a budget? Despite how much they waste they do. It's not like they can afford to keep buying exclusivity and established studios. Their division has to make their own profits. Buying exclusivity for a multiplatform game is millions that could be spent on a new title and studio of their own, and they would still get that multiplatform game. They could get two games. Instead you get one. They don't love you, or even like you. They clearly don't respect gaming with their antics and PR bullcrap.

[voodoochild346]

@sinspirit

You know what? I like you. Finally someone understands why people like myself have strong disdain for Microsoft. They're a cancerous mass on gaming and started a good number of the bs policies we have to put up with now. Paying to use your own internet is a good example.

[MazzingerZ]

Don't care, don't play that game and will never do, a Metroid from RETRO studios sells the Wii U to me, just the amount of quality 1st party games from SONY is reason enough to get the PS4, many all-time favourites games of mine in that bunch...not even taking into account new franchises being introduced this gen

The Minecraft deal would mean for X1 that more kids will get the console, more HW, XBLG and DLC cash for MSFT and less AAA exclusives for the rest of the gamers, X360 last 3 years all over again but at an early phase...don't see the positive for current X1 owners

[dreamed]

@sinspirt i fully agree,and i'm an x1 owner..its a real shit move by ms,and like you said it should be about what you bring not what you stop!.

game industry is so lost imo,and has been for years.

[Saigon]

@Concertoine

I sort of disagree. If this was Naughty Dog or ID software or Valve, etc; I could then understand the price of the purchase. Mainly because those companies would give back what was invested. There is no guarantee that Mojang will make back the money invested. All we know they may be a one hit wonder. Though I say that, MS had to do its due diligence and research future opportunity with the company. With that said, they must have saw something that may get them close to making back their investment.

[WishMeWell259]

Its a bold move but it has a lot of risks.
Minecraft is HUGE its probably the most popular game out there. But thats it, its already out there. PS3, PS4 already have it. By law they have to support them with patches and updates. What they can do now is constrict the mods which is bad for us. And What they WILL do is next year theres going to be Minecraft 2. heard it here first. Which will be PC and xbox exclusive. It will make money but not as much because it would be the same. Theyll make back most of their money hopefully. but at the end i can see Mojang crash in 7 years tops. only good game they have is minecraft and mircosoft will make minecraft game after minecraft game, until it kills the whole thing all together

[jden28]

@sinspirit & ShinMaster
Actually to bring up Tomb Raider was a mistake...When Tomb Raider first came to market and it was supposed to be a Sega Saturn exclusive, Sony was still new but had been out selling the Saturn. When it was time for Tomb Raider 2 Sony secured complete exclusivity for their platform to keep it off Sega's platform. Sony did similar things with the Final Fantasy brand during the original Xbox years. They made similar deals with EA during the Dreamcast years.

And as far as studios becoming part of Sony after pitching a game...That is exactly why Insomniac is making an exclusive game for the Xbox One the get to keep their IP and their independence.

MY point is stop pointing fingers at just Microsoft as if they've done something horrible different than Sony or Nintendo...They haven't....they just have more money to play the game that the other two have been doing for much longer.

[Bobby Kotex]

And nobody will care.

[FanboyKilla]

Lol why you mad? Not your console of choice? Lmfao at n4g and sony fanboys. You dont have one positive xone or ms article up. You must be feeding your fanbase. Lol so since there are no sony stories worth talking about, bashing ms and xone will have to do ha? Sad, you dont have anything better to talk about, other than the console you hate. Lmfao gettem ms.

[Willio]

They made one game.... at least RARE co. made a few games before it was bought out.

If music artists can be one hit wonders, so can all types of art including video games.

Good job MS laying off 18000 people to buyout 1 company of less than 10-100 developers for an insane amount of money.

[tman7302]

@sinspirit

1. Subjective. I grew up in a generation where exclusives were the norm and you had to buy all consoles. The last generation of consoles, gamers were spoiled plain and simple.

2. Good point. It's sadly becomes the norm. Gearbox anyone?

3. Very opinionated and bold statement you make. It only demonstrates your hate and bias opinion for a platform like a fanboy instead of supporting them and voicing a constructive opinion like a gamer. If you want new games, xbox does have a website that voices your demand for new games and other ideas. I suggest you use that.

[BLuTheSecond]

Nintendo doesn't need anything. According to their fanbase, Nintendo is god and only Nintendo games matter.

[jackanderson1985]

not a damn thing really since Mojang don't own the IP, Notch has a seperate company that owns it

[gootimes]

Plus Markus Persson is said to be leaving Mojang after the acquisition. Kind of a strange purchase from Microsoft...

[Lord_Sloth]

Indeed since Minecraft has already been played by everybody and their brother's dog and there's no guarantee their next game will be half as good. Especially without Notch.

[ThinkThink]

Probably thinking about minecraft 2. The toy rights alone are a gold mine.

[Magicite]

MS loves to throw money down the drain (bing, surface, xbox, nokia and now mojang)

[user5575708]

@gootimes

then this sounds like its going to be rareware all over again

here come the garbage kinect titles...

[ThatOneGuyThere]

If i understand correctly, Notch hasnt written anything for minecraft in over 3 years. he's been spending his time trying to make another hit, and failing. I think he's at the point now where he knows he either sells it for a TON of money, or fizzles out over time. I think he just wants the payout now.

[Deividas]

@ThatOneGuyThere

Yea I think so too, hes def just a one hit wonder with Minecraft. Hell of a wonder but still...

[LookAtYou]

I think this might be the biggest "i make it rain on dem hoes" in history, not just in gaming. Billions of dollars for what exactly?

[mrbojingles]

Does Notch really own Minecraft?

Mojang AB owns the Minecraft trademark and Notch owns Mojang, so in turn wouldn't MS own Minecraft then if they bought Mojang since the company owns the trademark, etc?

[jackanderson1985]

don't know the name of the company but last paragraph lays out the fee paid to licence minecraft which is owned by a separate company

http://www.gamesindustry.bi...

[mrbojingles]

There has to be some sort of mix up here. Why would MS pay $2 billion for a studio if Notch will own the IP? Mojang owns the trademark anyway so Notch can't do anything with the IP without the trademark. I'm pretty sure Mojang would give Microsoft rights to the IP, this makes no sense without that. Also, Notch could just be receiving royalties from being the original creator of the IP.

[jackanderson1985]

other reports are saying the 2bn includes the Minecraft IP... the other company is literally just a shell (most likely tax purposes ha) that owns the IP and in which Notch is paid.

if the deal doesn't include the IP i'd be shocked to be honest

also found the name, Notch Development AB, own the trademark so that must be the seperate company

[Rik_Mayall]

Notch Enterprises owns the IP to Minecraft and owns Mojang.

It's not hard to grasp really.

[DefenderOfDoom2]

Microsoft also has "RARE"

[jwillj2k4]

If that's the case then what did Microsoft buy?? They can't make a Minecraft 2 and call it 'Minecraft 2' since they wont own the IP after the acquisition. Can someone help clarify because this sounds asinine.

[NeoGamer232]

Yeah, MS would buy Mojang for $2 bln for 40 devts and not include the IP that the company is known for...

You may think MS is absolutely dumb, but no one would be that dumb.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

Nothing well nothing at least regarding Nintendo but it could be for plastation since ps vita and ps4 version of minecraft got delayed
but then again it could be nothing entirely

[Gore-Content]

It means bad news, what else?! But $$$ for MS.

[Baka-akaB]

When you think that for even less, MS could have purchased Twitch or the Occulus... (wich i'm grateful they didnt mind you)

[nunley33]

For far less capcom and atlus could be bought and that would be far better, but hey it's ms and i'm glad they aren't buying them,that would make too much sence so of course they wouldn't be doing that.

[Baka-akaB]

There is no way Capcom would cost less

[SLIGuy85]

Thankfully I'll never see minecraft on Nintendo. Great news.

[Baka-akaB]

It could actually still happens , with MS console just getting obvious extras . The strength of the IP lies with it's number of customers

[TongkatAli]

Thankfully I'll never see corny Nintendo first party games on Playstation and Xbox, hehehe.

[kingdip90]

With microsoft announcing that they intend to have gamers be able to play xbox games in their browser, perhaps they are trying to make sure a company recognized for minecraft can bring all gamers (casual and hard core alike) into that service.

microsoft know they can make money on their ip's but the console xbox one isn't making them squat. I see the xbox brand becoming more of an online service through browser and dropping the hardware side of things.

So on regard as to how it may effect Sony and nintendo, it may signal a reduction in hardware competition.

[ThatOneGuyThere]

minecraft originally launched playable in browser.

[KakashiHotake]

One thing I know for certain, Xbox One has been a very expensive venture for Microsoft. Between the Kinect failing to catch on to the masses, advertisements, all the money they've spent on timed exclusives, some of the more expensive one such as Titan Fall, Ryse, Dead Rising, Tomb Raider, buying Gears of War, all add up to billion of dollars and now Mojang for 2 billion. They've spent more money just trying to stay competitive than it cost to make Xbox One.

[ThatOneGuyThere]

i think the xbox division is done with hardware after this gen. I see them giving up in 2017 and just focusing on providing games and services to capable companies/hardware outlets.

[MrCherry]

This was all over the news this a.m, saying MS going to make so much $$$ from this, the guy from walstreet said hes buying MS shares caus thir "MOOOVEINGGG ON UP".

[MrCherry]

@KakashiHotake

Thir MS $ is not an issue, with cell phones, tab, and PC.

[Summons75]

It's not going to happen, Notch is the biggest douche I know in the industry since Phil Fish left but Notch is smart he know's he can and will make 4x the money without MS there is more potential sales across multiplatform. All this potential deal is showing how desperate MS is to compete, they can only make one extremely well selling exclusive and one other decent selling but after that they have to buy reasons for people to buy the xbone...

[tman7302]

Desperation is definitely a idiotic term to use since they're in competition with Sony and Nintendo. If Sony or Nintendo was making this deal, would gamers complain?

[zippycup]

i dont see how MS can profit from this yes they would have minecraft but sales have slowed for it and whats to stop notch from using money to create new company and make a new ip and instead of calling it minecraft 2 he calls whatever he wants

[Pillsbury1]

Microsoft keeps trying to ruin our industry by monopolizing. First they ruin rare now this...

[Kiwi66]

Guess you didn't know that they approached ms not the other way around

[GundalfDeGrej]

Before - "Haha, MS doesn't have any first party support!"

After - "Thieves!"

[HentaiMasterRace]

Give me Minecraft Vita first. I remember Rare was able to make one more Nintendo game after MS bought them. Hopefully MS does the same for the little Vita.

[Illusive_Man]

It's more than games and Xbox...Microsoft's real competition is not Sony it's Amazon, Google, and Apple. Those 3 are the real giants. Just think how terrible it would be if Mojang was purchased by Amazon.

[brewskiebob]

Am i the only person who thinks mindcraft sucks? Maybe im not creative enough or something....

[josephayal]

you are not alone

[kingPoS]

acquiring & building IP are two different things. When an IP is built from the ground up, the founders generally care what happens to it. When someone buys an IP outright, more often than not, it's simply thought of as property that would turn a profit.

Gateway MT6706 2008

[TheGrimReaper0011]

This just seems rather desperate of Microsoft

They should use that money to start up completely new studios for brand new IP's. Stuff like this and Tomb Raider is what gets people mad at you Microsoft! What don't you understand about this?

Also, isn't minecraft owned by Notch? Besides, even if it isn't, his name is known now and when he makes a new game, you can bet your ass people will stand out in line to get it ( as a manner of speaking ofcourse :p seeing how digital will be much more financialy beneficial for him)

Microsoft, stop buying other studios, use it for new studios and stop pissing people off. (besides, if you wanted to buy a studio, why the hell did you not buy Bungie?! They made halo for you! The only reason to buy an XB360!)

[Baka-akaB]

Bungie ? They owned Bungie , wich went out of it's way to buy back its freedom . They wouldnt sell themselves again , at least not so soon

[NeoGamer232]

MS buys a developer like Mojang and it is called "desperation"...

Sony buys a developer like Media Molecule and it is a brilliant move...

I now know any time you comment on MS it is pure stupidity...

[feraldrgn]

Media Molecule's first game was Little Big Planet.
Before then, they worked on Rag Doll Kung Fu at Lionhead for PC, which they later made a newer version for Playstation Network.

The people Sony hired where from Lionhead, they didn't outright buy the company, they hired the people & made a new studio.

[NeoGamer232]

@feraldrgn
Media Molecule was independent... They were acquired by Sony in 2010. Sony funded their games but they were independent.

Before that they were an independent 3rd party studio.

http://www.mediamolecule.co...

[feraldrgn]

@Neogamer232

Your link says a group of people from Lionhead founded their own studio Media Molecule.
Little Big Planet passed greenlight, sackboy was born, 1 million levels were created, & they became part of Sony WW Studios.

All that shows is that their first title as a studio was for Playstation & that they became part of Sony WW Studios after working with them for 2 years.
& Since all they worked on after creating the studio was LBP, exclusive to playstation, I personally don't see that as 3rd party.

[Monkeycan8]

You idiots still don't get it.

If a series has always been on one system and that systems company buys the studio that owns that series thats fine. Their game was never on another system.

If a company buys a studio that had an existing series that was previously on all or most systems it is total BS. (tomb raider, Dead Rising now minecraft ect.)

[tman7302]

This is the most idiotic statement ever. You're just pissed off cause it's Microsoft. This kind of practice is done all the time in the industry and history tends to repeat itself.

[mcarsehat]

That Microsoft will get Minecraft?

[Ra3030]

So is this the Microsoft plan to get people to purchase their console? Everything else they tried fails......I just don't see this happening unless their going to sell off the Xbox hardware and make only software. I can't see shareholders being happy sinking that kinda money into anything Xbox unless their getting out of the hardware end of gaminig. We'll see.

[Slacker]

I have no idea why MS is proposing to do this, nor do I care. I do find it funny reading all of the people here that think they know how MS should spend their 2 billion better than they do.

[feraldrgn]

Desperate move if true.
Not doing as well as you thought? Throw money at it?
Very creative.

[RyujiDanma]

Desperate? More like MS is throwing coffee money. Win or lose for this deal

[Sheikh Yerbouti]

Good if they start studios or buy out up and comers. But it always sucks when a popular multi-plat becomes exclusive. Not sure if it means that, but what else has Mojang made?

[neomahi]

I honestly don't really care. Microsoft can have them. That's a lot of money. The Xbox One has already lost them a ton of money, paying $2 billion is even more. What, is Microsoft going to keep letting them publish for whatever they want and then collect royalties for PS4 versions sold, Vita versions, PS3, 360 and PC alike?

[Julion0715]

Ms is buying them out 2 set up for their next move u ppl keep acting like ms is stupid its a reason why they have more money than alot of other companies 2 bill is nothing to them

[sAVAge_bEaST]

l0l. @ FAD Sauce.

goo gttem.M$,,,,. P U L S E.sauce-

truely./n

[mysteryraz11]

I rather them make new ips

[Clown_Syndr0me]

So what about all of us who just bought it on PS4?
Would it no longer get any support and just be abandoned? That would be dumb, MS could make even more money if they continued to support the game that's already on the PS4...

[thecowsaysmoo]

Or they could use Minecraft as a way to promote Xbox gaming systems over Playstation. Minecraft is the most popular game on XBL and I think it's the most popular game on PSN (not sure). Microsoft can take the game off of PSN and force anyone who wants to play the console version to go Xbox.

[Clown_Syndr0me]

They cant take a game people have already paid for though.

[RedstonerMC]

Or they could kindly piss off and let a good thing continue to be good.

[cruzngta]

MS got the cash and can do what they want if another company agrees to do so with them. At the end of the day its all about business nothing more nothing less. Sony or Nintendo would do the same if they had a need to or if they had the money MS has. Dont hate a company because they have the funding to do this.

[brighthand]

All is well -at least on the PC side; we are getting Oort Online. So I really can't say that I feel any pain stemming from any potential loss of Minecraft content.

edit: still, it is annoying to see microsoft always throwing money at 3rd party devs. Sony is gaining on them in this field as well with their Destiny exclusive content antics.

[DillyDilly]

No more updates for Minecraft. If you want new stuff buy an XBOX One for Minecraft: 2

[funkybudda]

who cares, anything that MS bought out and not available to Sony or PC = instant boycott from me, plenty other games to spend my money on.

[Phish]

Minecraft has never really been a game for me, but I do think MS needs to do soemthing to secure exclusives. Right now Sony is just dominating the market in all areas. I fully expect games like Minecraft to also be on PC. MS obviously owns that platform as well and wouldn't alienate the consumer base that made the franchise popular to begin with.

[Lighter9]

They'll probably get stuck making crap Kinect games. HA!

[bednet]

Minecraft is nothing without it's community, it's a 5 year old game for god's sake, how many 5 year old games are still relevant today that don't have a huge community?

People still buy Minecraft because of the thriving community, I hope that Microsoft are aware of that and don't go doing anything stupid to anger an already skeptic community.

Things that would not bode well:
- stop updating the PC version
- micro-transactions
- DLC
- copyright crackdown on youtube
- blocking mods
- milking the brand even more than it already is
- yearly releases that need to be purchased

[Surt]

Oh no! What happens if sony never gets another minecraft game!? What will sony DOOOOOOOOOoooooooo?!

[Blueraven316]

I don't think it means much. Minecraft isn't a system seller. It'll be a bit before a new Minecraft comes out anyways. The current is still going to be on ps4. Not worth the money for MS

[BX81]

This is great for xb1 owners and ms. Sux for sony/nin only owners and the haters. I dont particularly care because I never played minecraft and probably never will but I know it has a huge fan base.

[Soldierone]

They already said it will stay on other consoles with support. This might be them wanting it exclusive to their VR or some other gadget they have, Kinect makes no sense.

Other than that, it means nothing for other consoles because MS and Mojang already stated it wouldn't change anything.

[Bebedora]

Why stop selling to other systems when there is money to make? It is a situation for MS here though, as I can see it to be.

If released to other platforms, there is only real money to be made in royalties. If being exclusive to PC and XBox, they might sell XBox consoles AND more royalties from games bought to PC and the XB. But I guess they know what they are doing. :)

2 GB (GigaBucks) are much dough in the minus to make a profit off one game. Take that Bungie!

[Macdaddy71]

It means they going to be a lot of crying little Sony bitches!!!!!

[SpinalRemains138]

It means they're lost and throwing a Hail Mary.

[RedstonerMC]

Don't You Dare

[syrinity]

Sony didn't make Final Fantasy series it's own, that was done by SE them selves. First off FF was a Nintendo platform game. That was until they went to Sony to have the next generation (which was suppose to be PS1) system made. They did not like the idea for Disks, but instead wanted to keep the old cartridge system going. So Sony brought out the PS1. At that point SE scraped the cartridge version of FF and went to Sony. As for MS destroying MC, don't see it happening. They know full well there would be such a back lash, it would hurt them. Lets face it MS is all about the money, and they know right now MC on PS is a cash cow.