p>Microsoft pays $2.5bn for Minecraft maker Mojang By Joe Miller Technology reporter, BBC News
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p>Microsoft has bought Mojang, the Swedish firm behind the popular video game Minecraft for $2.5bn (PS1.5bn).
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p>The game has sold to more than 54 million copies. It lets players create structures using old-fashioned Lego blocks. They can also explore large maps and fight with other players.
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p>Phil Spencer, chief Xbox executive, announced the deal.
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p>Mojang, the company's founders promised the public that everything was going to be perfectly.
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p>Some analysts have speculated the deal is designed to draw more customers to Microsoft's Windows Phone devices. https://minecraftservers.quest/ </p>
p>This acquisition comes one year after Microsoft purchased the Finnish mobile phone company Nokia's handsets and devices division.
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p>Minecraft is among the most popular apps on both the Apple iOS store as well as Android's Google Play, and has recently been made available for the Xbox One and PlayStation? 4 which has further increased sales.
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p>Despite being available for a while, it was still the third most-played console game in the month of December, according to NPD Group market research firm.
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p>The game's developer, Mojang, which was founded in 2009, has made more than $100 million in profits in the last fiscal year, and employs around 40 employees.
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p>Microsoft has announced that the Mojang team would join its game studio, which is responsible for games such as Halo, Forza and Fable.
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p>The chief executive of the tech giant, Satya Nadella, said: "Minecraft is more than an excellent game franchise. It is an open-world platform driven by a lively community that we are deeply involved in and full of exciting opportunities for the community as well as for Microsoft."
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p>Opposition to the sale
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p>Mojang's founder, Markus "Notch" Persson, has previously criticised Microsoft and told Reuters that the market for Windows phones was "tiny" and not worth developing apps for.
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p>Minecraft has a large and enthusiastic cult following who have reacted angrily to what they perceive as the corporate takeover of an independent, communally-spirited company.
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p>"Makes me sick and sad," wrote one user on a renowned Minecraft forum. EvilBatsu? stated, "It would kill off the gaming community."
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p>Some expressed concerns over the ability of fans to exhibit their skills.
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p>"Not only will it cost more to play the game, but it will cost people their jobs too. Many players play Minecraft and upload it to YouTube as a profession however, should Microsoft is the new owner, there will for sure be copyright issues."
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p>However , some players made the point that Microsoft could dedicate more resources to upgrading and expanding the game.
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p>In an announcement, Microsoft said it would keep Minecraft across all of its existing platforms, and a "commitment to nurture and expand in the long run".
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p>It stated that the acquisition was anticipated to be completed by the end of 2014.
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p>In a statement confirming the deal on its website, Mojang reassured gamers, saying: "Please remember that the future of Minecraft and the community you are part of are extremely important to everyone involved. Let this be the one thing you take away from this post.
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p>With regard to Microsoft, Mojang said: "There are only a handful of potential buyers who have the capacity to expand Minecraft on the scale it deserves."
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p>The firm added that "Notch" had decided that he "doesn't want the responsibility of owning an enterprise of such global significance".
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p>Developer Notch on selling Minecraft:
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p>"I've become an icon. I don't want to become an object of ridicule. I don't want be responsible for something that I don't know about. That I don∏t want to do anything about. I'm not an entrepreneur. I'm not a CEO."
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p>You can read his complete statement here.
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p>Why Minecraft?
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p>James McQuivey? of analytics firm Forrester said that "Minecraft is one of the most significant gaming properties around the globe".
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p>"Not only is it profitable but it continues to increase in profits years after its release, mostly because of the ardent fan base that invests in building out their own Minecraft worlds.
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p>"That helps explain why Microsoft would want Minecraft and would want to ensure it is always available on Microsoft's gaming platforms.
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p>Professor Mark Skilton from Warwick Business School said that the acquisition was about building a strong customer base for Microsoft.
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p>"The online gaming industry is fast growing from a small group of gamers to mass-market and Minecraft is a logical move as big business follows the growth of traffic in the digital world."
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p>In November, Amazon bought Twitch, an online platform that allows users to watch others play video games for $970m (PS597m).
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p>'It's about my sanity'
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p>Microsoft is 'set to buy Minecraft'
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p>Microsoft completes Nokia phone deal
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p>25 April 2014
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p>Microsoft
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p>NPD Group
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