REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft
Corp. today announced it has reached an agreement to acquire
Mojang, the celebrated Stockholm-based game developer, and the
company's iconic "Minecraft" franchise.
The Mojang team will join Microsoft Studios, which includes the
studios behind global blockbuster franchises "Halo," "Forza,"
"Fable" and more. Microsoft's investments in cloud and mobile
technologies will enable "Minecraft" players to benefit from richer
and faster worlds, more powerful development tools, and more
opportunities to connect across the "Minecraft" community.
Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will acquire Mojang
for $2.5 billion. Microsoft expects
the acquisition to be break-even in FY15 on a GAAP basis. Subject
to customary closing conditions and any regulatory review, the
acquisition is expected to close in late 2014.
Available across multiple platforms, "Minecraft" is one of the
most popular video games in history, with more than 100 million
downloads, on PC alone, by players since its launch in 2009.
"Minecraft" is one of the top PC games of all time, the most
popular online game on Xbox, and the top paid app for iOS and
Android in the US. The "Minecraft" community is among the most
active and passionate in the industry, with more than 2 billion
hours played on Xbox 360 alone in the past two years. Minecraft
fans are loyal, with nearly 90 percent of paid customers on the PC
having signed in within the past 12 months.
"Gaming is a top activity spanning devices, from PCs and
consoles to tablets and mobile, with billions of hours spent each
year," said Satya Nadella, CEO,
Microsoft. "Minecraft is more than a great game franchise – it is
an open world platform, driven by a vibrant community we care
deeply about, and rich with new opportunities for that community
and for Microsoft."
"The 'Minecraft' players have taken the game and turned it into
something that surpassed all of our expectations. The acquisition
by Microsoft brings a new chapter to the incredible story of
'Minecraft,'" said Carl Manneh,
CEO, Mojang. "As the founders move on to start new projects, we
believe the high level of creativity from the community will
continue the game's success far into the future."
Microsoft plans to continue to make "Minecraft" available across
all the platforms on which it is available today: PC, iOS, Android,
Xbox and PlayStation.
"'Minecraft' is one of the most popular franchises of all time,"
said Phil Spencer, head of Xbox. "We
are going to maintain 'Minecraft' and its community in all the ways
people love today, with a commitment to nurture and grow it long
into the future."
More details will be available upon the acquisition closing.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide
leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help
people and businesses realize their full potential.
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SOURCE Microsoft Corp.