Opinions on Microsoft buying Mojang

[Hambeau]

They list three separate technologies. Notably from three different areas. Cloud (PC, mostly), Xbox Live (Console peasants), mobile (self explanatory). Seeing Xbox live mentioned and assuming that means we'll all have to deal with Xbox Live now is insane and alarmist. Xbox live is their console service, not their PC service. I do see the possibility of future minecraft versions integrating with MS's cloud services. It would make sense. And while the transition could likely be annoying, there is a lot of potential for some interesting capabilities.

I can understand a bit of the Xbox Live concern. I was a closed beta tester for Age of Empires Online and it was handled via Xbox live logons. My main problem with it is that I had to give up an e-mail address I've had for years because somehow somebody else's Xbox account was linked to it and I kept getting their notifications. The worst part about it is the ISP the email account is with provides no way to completely delete it and I have to keep monitoring it incase I get some kind of important "blast from he past" message

 

[RavynousHunter]

Honestly, if Microsoft has any input in the development process, something I see as rather unlikely, then it'd probably be to slap Jeb and Company upside the head whenever they forget basic optimization and bloody bugfixes in favour of yet another pointless, but pretty feature. I wonder if I could apply for Microsoft to that exact position, as I am a fully-qualified head-smacker with nearly 25 years of experience in both basic head-smacking theory and in their practical applications.

 

[Golrith]

Are we talking about the same Microsoft that has to constantly keep releasing updates/patches to fix problems in their products? The same company that turns easy to use Office products into a nightmare for pretty ribbon bars and pop up taskbars? The same company we are hoping are not going to screw around with Minecraft?

 

[dothrom]

First off, the only reason MS 'has' to keep releasing patches and updates is because they're one of the only companies that actually bother to fix bugs on a regular basis.
And a lot of those patches are security patches that only pop up so often because they're the #1 target of attacks 24/7/365.
I'd have to agree with you on the Office garbage.

 

[Hambeau]

Honestly, if Microsoft has any input in the development process, something I see as rather unlikely, then it'd probably be to slap Jeb and Company upside the head whenever they forget basic optimization and bloody bugfixes in favour of yet another pointless, but pretty feature. I wonder if I could apply for Microsoft to that exact position, as I am a fully-qualified head-smacker with nearly 25 years of experience in both basic head-smacking theory and in their practical applications.

Position Title: CBO... Chief Boot-to-the-Head Officer. Need an assistant?

 

[dothrom]

Position Title: CBO... Chief Boot-to-the-Head Officer. Need an assistant?

Or two? I'll even supply my own boots!

 

[RavynousHunter]

The more the merrier! The more boots we can put down, the more we can get done in less time, which is always a good thing!

 

[PODonnell]

You have to admit, with all the hate for Bill Gates here, that he dunked insane amounts of money (more then half his fortune) on charity just for the heck of it. I don't say I like the fact that some people become this filthy rich, but if any I'd rather see Bill Gates do it and then give back something to society then some schmuck who keeps it all to himself.

Particullarly when you compare Mr. Gates to the Walton family.

 

[dothrom]

The more the merrier! The more boots we can put down, the more we can get done in less time, which is always a good thing!

The only problem I see is that I'm not sure concussions are conducive to developer productivity.

 

[PODonnell]

The only problem I see is that I'm not sure concussions are conducive to developer productivity.

I suggest you avoid the head and hands.....

 

[Azon_PL]

Microsoft plans to continue to make “Minecraft” available across all the platforms on which it is available today: PC, iOS, Android, Xbox and PlayStation.

Honestly, I'm really suprised that MS plans to keep PS version up to date.

 

[DoomSquirter]

http://news.xbox.com/2014/09/games-minecraft-to-join-microsoft wrote:

that's a statement, not a promise.

 

[Hambeau]

Particullarly when you compare Mr. Gates to the Walton family.

-or to St. Jobs[DOUBLEPOST=1410972961][/DOUBLEPOST]

Honestly, I'm really suprised that MS plans to keep PS version up to date.

Why does this surprise you? A chance to make some money (royalties, license fees) off a competitor's product?

 

[dothrom]

-or to St. Jobs[DOUBLEPOST=1410972961][/DOUBLEPOST]

Why does this surprise you? A chance to make some money (royalties, license fees) off a competitor's product?

Sony: "C#!p."

 

[Eliav24]

Spoiler: From a mentioned article

"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".

This Reeally worries me.


More broadly, I don't think the problem is that microsoft is more/less evil than other big corporation. I think the selling decision is bad* because, by the nature of being bought by a corporation, the top decision-making decided solely for the shareholders profit, which will hurt minecraft. Even if they begin playing fair and nice, The immense pressure to be more profit oriented will sooner or later (probably sooner) force the developers to make changes that will hurt the community, even if they know it won't be good in the long run.

*From our standpoint, though i think even Notch is not going to succeed and escape minecraft- the country-worth internet community has more than enough obnoxious, loud, dogmatic self-appointed crusaders to harass him until the end of time.

 

[pizzawolf14]

Spoiler snipped due to difficulties with Tapatalk's forum code

This Reeally worries me.

Why? This'll probably stop or reduce pointless bunnies and other unnecessary stuff and all of those things mentioned would greatly increase 'moddability'. More development tools probably means (to me at least) the long-awaited modding api. Faster worlds means more optimizations and cleaner code. Who knows what ways we will be able to connect across the community, but that *can't* be a bad thing, right?

 

[Celestialphoenix]

This is not a slate against M$, if Notch sold to Apple/Google/EA/Ubisoft/BSkyB/Virgin/Viacom ect... my reaction would be the same.

Either way I have lost all desire to continue learning to mod MC.

Had I actually released a mod, I'd probably remove/burn it until I know exactly how much M$ is going to change things.​

*From our standpoint, though i think even Notch is not going to succeed and escape minecraft- the country-worth internet community has more than enough obnoxious, loud, dogmatic self-appointed crusaders to harass him until the end of time.

He's a multi-billionaire now. He has the resources to make escape fairly easy.
If you read his letter/statement about it, you'll find he sold/left to escape from it.

 

[PODonnell]

-snip-
*From our standpoint, though i think even Notch is not going to succeed and escape minecraft- the country-worth internet community has more than enough obnoxious, loud, dogmatic self-appointed crusaders to harass him until the end of time.

Once he's no longer responsible for the game he can ignore the "noise". At least until protesters in creeper pajamas start coming over his fences.... and must I point out that his share of the 2.5 will purchase an awfull lot of electric fencing.

The community will calm down. Heck if society can forget the names of men like Warren Anderson I think the gaming community can forget a game developer who sold his company. I'm sure that even today the vast majority only know him by his handle.

 

[Hambeau]

This is not a slate against M$, if Notch sold to Apple/Google/EA/Ubisoft/BSkyB/Virgin/Viacom ect... my reaction would be the same.

Either way I have lost all desire to continue learning to mod MC.

Had I actually released a mod, I'd probably remove/burn it until I know exactly how much M$ is going to change things.​

He's a multi-billionaire now. He has the resources to make escape fairly easy.
If you read his letter/statement about it, you'll find he sold/left to escape from it.

Notch is not a "multibillionaire". That 2.5 Billion represents the entire company, of which Notch is just the major stockholder. If they were to completely liquidate he would only get a fraction of that money. That would be stupid, however, as when the sale finalizes Mojang stock would be converted. at some agreed upon rate, into Microsoft stock which would almost certainly boost it's value.

 

[Celestialphoenix]

Notch is not a "multibillionaire". That 2.5 Billion represents the entire company, of which Notch is just the major stockholder. If they were to completely liquidate he would only get a fraction of that money. That would be stupid, however, as when the sale finalizes Mojang stock would be converted. at some agreed upon rate, into Microsoft stock which would almost certainly boost it's value.

I think he owns 60%- giving him around 1.5 billion.