14 DAY TRIAL // A brand new report has appeared online from Reuters about the much-rumored acquisition of Minecraft developer Mojang by Microsoft, pinning a new price on the deal, that of 2.5 billion USD (1.9 billion EUR), as well as confirming that the main reason is to boost the popularity of the Windows Phone platform.
Minecraft is a global phenomenon, breaking sales records on most platforms on which it appears, whether it's the original PC or consoles like PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, or Xbox One, but also mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, dominating both the Android and the iOS platforms.
Last week, a special report appeared online claiming that Microsoft was getting ready to announce the acquisition of developer Mojang, which owns the rights to the Minecraft franchise, as the deal was still being finalized by studio founder and Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson.
Another report soon followed, adding more weight to the rumor, and now another one has surfaced online, this time bringing a new figure for the transaction and a potential reasoning.
Microsoft wants Minecraft to boost mobile sales
According to the report, Microsoft is going to acquire Mojang for 2.5 billion USD (around 1.9 billion EUR) not to further develop its versions on the Xbox 360 or Xbox One, but to use the game to promote the mobile platforms, such as Windows Phone.
Apparently, Microsoft is quite envious of other operating systems like Android and iOS, especially since its Windows Phone platform hasn't been doing so well. As such, by acquiring Mojang and the rights to the Minecraft series, it can start making a new version of the game for Windows Phone handsets, thereby sparking more interest in the platform.
Mojang only brought Minecraft to popular platforms
The whole idea certainly has potential, as Minecraft is a perennial best seller on both Android and iOS app stores. While the idea of a Windows Phone version floated around in the past, Persson quickly dismissed it due to the low adoption rate of the actual platform.
The popularity of a platform has been a key deciding factor for Minecraft's new versions, as right now the company has just finished launching the game on PS4 and Xbox One, while continuing to not comment on a potential Wii U edition.
It's unclear what will happen to the other versions of Minecraft after the supposed Microsoft acquisition, but you can expect to hear more soon enough, when the deal is eventually confirmed.