Woah :o
[quote]Citing a “person with knowledge of the matter,”
[/quote]
Still basically a rumor. If true, I hope they don’t go through with it, but then $2B is a shitton of money…
Full article from the WSJ (de-paywalled courtesy /u/P1xels)
Microsoft keeps getting a bit more Infamous IMO. Imagine what they could do to Mojang. 2 Billion
D4WO0mirjlQ
The discussion on Reddit and Hacker News pretty much sums up that there isn’t actually any real source.
Unless any more information becomes available, I’m going to call it false.
The bean-counter in my head can’t come up with an equation where 2b makes sense. There’d need to be some secret plan to make more than that back that isn’t insane wishful thinking. While it’s true that some web calendar thing sold for a couple hundred mill in the 90s…but that was the 90s when everything tech was nuts.
Do keep in mind that there is a Minecraft movie in the works and its being written by the people that did the Lego movie (which was really well done and has made over $1/2 billion on a budget of just $60m).
Add in media franchising (toys, lunch boxes, books, etc) which can make more money then the movie if done right. Further add in a Minecraft game sequel (possibly even a movie sequel or two) and the benefits to the XBOX brand for having an exclusive like Minecraft. Then its not too far fetched for a company like Microsoft to make its $2 billion back.
Wasn’t aware of a movie. Humm…
This has the hallmarks of a hoax or bullshit, tbh. It’s a ridiculous valuation.
Cas 
I agree, considering Notch in the not too distant past said this:
…and
His distaste for big-business in the gaming industry is pretty apparent. Not to mention EA games attempted to open up the option of buying Minecraft a few years back, and Notch turned them down.
If Mojang is sold to Microsoft, Notch would basically openly admitting he sold out all his ethics, morals and principals to make a buck, when he already have enough bucks for him, his kids and his kid’s kids to never have to work a day in their life anyway.
I wouldn’t blame him, I’d sell my own mother for $2bn. (If you knew her you’d not be surprised at that mind)
Cas
Lucas went to Disney for ~4b. That I can see in the long-run. It looks like those Star Wars/Indian Jones IPs might have some legs to them.
Does Notch have veto power over what Mojang does as a company?
He might stick to his guns, but maybe the rest of the team aren’t so picky about funding.
I don’t know about the numbers - I don’t know how much Minecraft makes or how much it will make potentially, however it is beyond huge, but at the same time 2 billion might be a lot, but maybe not, its also about potential future incomes
But what Rayvolution said is what I thought. I liked notch’s attitude towards Microsoft shitting on Windows 8 and Oculus being bought by facebook. And he is one to openly say these things not caring about backlash.
Now the same guy sells out to the Man ? The company that is in my eyes the biggest poison in the games industry ? Doesn’t seem right.
Would I sell on Xbox One or 360 to make money - yes. Did he ? - yes. But to give what you created entirely to MS, seems fundamentally wrong.
I don’t know much about notch,but what I think is: he is tired and doesn’t wanna do it anymore.
0x10c was cancelled and Mojang to this day only makes Minecraft. Fear that nothing will ever even be popular besides Minecraft ? Possible.
I expect he’ll cry into his golden pillow as he spends the rest of his miserable days on his own Caribbean island drinking pina colladas about selling out…
Cas
I’m not surprised… I’d sell your mom for 2bn too.
“The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Microsoft is in talks to buy Swedish game developer Mojang, best known for its block-based zombie survival building game Minecraft”
Its really not a zombie survival game at all, I’m a little disapointed in arstechnica.
If there’s any truth to this. Stop poison pilling yourself! https://twitter.com/notch/status/281139739304800256
They’re journalists, researching isn’t their job. Remember the infamous hacker codenamed 4chan :persecutioncomplex:?
“As long as I’ve got my health, and my millions of dollars and my gold house and my rocket car, I don’t need anything else.”
- Chester J. Lampwick