As expected , Microsoft has officially announced a deal to buy Mojang - developer of the cult game Minecraft. The acquisition will cost the company from Redmond to $ 2.5 billion, the deal should be agreed and closed by the end of 2014.
"Potential buyers with the resources that were given the opportunity to Minecraft razivivatsya as it deserves, quite a bit. We have been working with Microsoft since 2012, and their continued commitment to our game impressed us. We are confident that Minecraft will continue to grow the most amazing way, "- the report says Mojang.
The decision to make a deal with Microsoft to explain the desire to host Mojang studio, a game designer and programmer Markus Persson released from liability associated with ownership of the company on a global scale. Upon completion of the transaction Persson, and two other co-founders Carl Manneh Mojang and Jacob Porser intend to leave the company.
"The cargo was too big for him. The only solution was for sale Mojang. But do not worry - now he's going to do great things ", - the report says the video studio.
In Microsoft assured that they intend to make a popular building game in the genre "sandbox» Minecraft available now on all possible platforms - from PCs to game consoles Xbox and Playstation. And to do this will be a team of programmers Mojang, which will be transferred to Microsoft Studios - a division Microsoft, specializing in game development.
«Minecraft - not just a great game, it's a whole open world, driven by an active community of interests which we deeply care about, and a wealth of new opportunities, both for this community and for Microsoft», - said the head of Satya Nadella.
Earlier, analysts pointed out that the purchase of Minecraft can help Microsoft win the attention of the younger generation, especially in the smartphone market, where Microsoft competes with applications for competing telephone systems. The fate of the remaining projects Mojang, including rationing strategy Scrolls, is still unknown.
Since 2009, Mojang has sold over 50 million copies of Minecraft. Last year, the Swedish company earned $ 100 million profit from the sale of games and related products.