The video game Minecraft is now a cult obsession. No wonder while Microsoft wants it, and got it. Microsoft acquired Mojang, the Swedish company that gave us Minecraft, for around two billion dollars. Now I can see why.
Minecraft is more than just a video game in which you play. You use Lego blocks to create your own fantasy world. In 2013 alone, Mojang made over$100 million, only using 100 employees. This game sells about $7-$27 a pop. Not that’s what I call profit. Microsoft wants to use Minecraft to give a struggling Windows Phone a shot of success that franchise needs. This would help Windows Phone get a younger audience, as Minecraft is extremely popular with that age group. This deal has literally been years in the making. In 2011, when Minecraft was limited to a PC game, Microsoft officials and Mojang founders met at a video game conference to discuss the matter. And now, here we are.
If you’re familiar with my blogs, you know I’m not a big fan of mergers or corporate acquisitions. But this is very smart on Microsoft’s part. Not only will this open Microsoft to a lot of new consumers, this will open them up to a popular culture technological revolution. Teachers are using Minecraft as school tools to educate children. For years, parents have often scorned their children for video games. But Minecraft is actually bringing families together, as generations are playing together. Some community leaders are using Minecraft to build libraries and other public facilities. I’ve grown up in the video game era. I’ve seen Pong, Pac-Man, Super Mario, Zelda, Sonic, Madden Football, Halo, and all in between. I’ve never seen a game be honored the way Minecraft has. And we all know how dependent we all are of Microsoft. So is this a good merger or am I making too much of this?