REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft is buying Mojang, the company behind the video game Minecraft, for $2.5 billion. It’s the biggest deal under new CEO Satya Nadela, and experts say it signals the direction the company is going.
Minecraft was created in 2009 and has exploded in popularity with more than 100 million players. The game allows you to build your own virtual world.
“It says a lot about Microsoft,” said CNET Senior Writer Ian Sherr. “They have much larger designs than what they are today, and that's where Minecraft fits in. The idea of being a hub for entertainment, not just a place where I buy my devices and get software from.”
The deal is big for Microsoft's mobile aspirations, especially the Windows Phone. Minecraft wasn't available on the Windows Phone, and 40 percent of players use a tablet or smartphone to play.
“It's not about bringing Windows mobile into the fold,” said Sherr. “It's about making it on par with the other devices out there at this point.”
Mojang is in Sweden, so the deal won't likely mean many new jobs in Western Washington.
Sherr expects it to create a few jobs for marketing and selling the game.
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