Rumored Microsoft acquisition of Minecraft dev aimed at mobile growth

By Adam Rosenberg September 14, 2014

rumored microsoft acquisition minecraft dev aimed mobile growth — Image used with permission by copyright holder

A rumor’s been circulating that Microsoft is zeroing in on an acquisition of Mojang, the Swedish development team behind Minecraft, and the latest report, via an unnamed source speaking to Reuters, suggests that the deal will be announced on Monday, September 15.

What’s most interesting about this situation is the reasoning behind Microsoft’s alleged $2.5 billion purchase: Mobile growth. Minecraft may have started life on PC and eventually wound its way to consoles like Microsoft’s Xbox, but the game is also a smash hit in the mobile space, as the top-selling paid app on both Apple and Android platforms. The game doesn’t exist on Windows Phone platforms, and that’s because of the mobile operating systems insignificant market share.

“Because it’s tiny,” Minecraft creator Markus “Notch” Persson wrote in a 2013 email to Reuters, responding to the question of why his hit game never materialized for Microsoft’s mobile platform. “Both Symbian and Blackberry have more users than Windows Phone.”

Microsoft’s Surface tablet also factors in here. The line of portable computing devices still hasn’t managed to make much of a dent in a market ruled primarily by iOS and Android hardware, and a Surface-friendly version of Minecraft could help to generate interest, especially if Microsoft can find a way to lure in gamers that would like to carry saved content across their Windows and Xbox devices.

This is all pure speculation of course. The acquisition continues to dwell in the realm of rumor, and even if it’s true, Windows Phone and Surface struggles might not be what’s spurring the deal. It seems likely though, given Mojang’s success with on-the-go software and Microsoft’s continuing efforts to find its footing.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Gaming

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition blocked in the U.K. over cloud concerns

microsoft activision blizzard deal questions overwatch 2 lucio

The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has blocked Microsoft's attempt to acquire Activision Blizzard because of its potential negative impact on cloud gaming.
Since January 2022, Xbox parent company Microsoft has been trying to acquire Activision Blizzard, the video game publisher behind franchises like Call of Duty, Diablo, Warcraft, and Overwatch. The companies have run into lots of regulatory hurdles, though, especially from the CMA and FTC, the latter of which is currently suing Microsoft. While it seemed like the CMA was inching towards approving the deal, the U.K. regulator ultimately decided to block it due to its potential impact on the fledgling cloud gaming market.

"Microsoft has a strong position in cloud gaming services and the evidence available to the CMA showed that Microsoft would find it commercially beneficial to make Activision’s games exclusive to its own cloud gaming service," a press release from the CMA explains. " Allowing Microsoft to take such a strong position in the cloud gaming market just as it begins to grow rapidly would risk undermining the innovation that is crucial to the development of these opportunities."
Over the past couple of months, Microsoft has attempted to ease these cloud gaming concerns by making deals with companies like Nvidia and EE. The CMA did not think these remedies were enough, though, saying that Microsoft's efforts didn't account for enough potential business models, cloud gaming services that don't use Windows, and how the deal could take "the dynamism and creativity of competition" away from the U.K.'s cloud gaming market.
Obviously, Activision Blizzard and Microsoft aren't too happy about this decision. Activision Blizzard directly attacks the CMA in a statement provided to Digital Trends, saying that the "report contradicts the ambitions of the U.K. to become an attractive country to build technology businesses," before calling the country's economic prospects "dire" and threatening that it will reconsider its plans for growth in that country.
Microsoft's statement from Vice Chair and President Brad Smith is a bit more measured, saying that Microsoft is "fully committed to this acquisition and will appeal." Citing the deals the company has already made to bring Call of Duty to more platforms, Smith says that the decision shows "a flawed understanding of this market and the way the relevant cloud technology actually works."
https://twitter.com/BradSmi/status/1651182266406584320
Microsoft has a lot of work cut out for itself if it still wants to force this deal through after pressure from the FTC and CMA. As the appeals process could take up to nine months or more, it seems unlikely that the acquisition meets its original June 2023 deadline; it's probable we'll be following this fight to acquire Activision Blizzard for the rest of the year.

Gaming

All mounts in Minecraft Legends and how to get them

Four players stand together in the 4v4 PvP mode of Minecraft Legends.

In yet another genre-mixup following Minecraft Dungeons, Minecraft Legends brings the open-world survival and building game to the RTS genre. Unlike most traditional RTS games, where you control the action from a detached, overhead perspective, this game keeps you in the action by giving you a character to control on the field itself. To keep the action fast-paced, and make sure you can easily control and order your mobs around, giving your character a mount is essential. Just like in the original game that inspired it, there are multiple creatures you can use as mounts, and they all behave and function differently. While the world in Minecraft Legends isn't randomly generated, it can still feel overwhelming trying to find what you're looking for. Here are all the mounts you can ride in Minecraft Legends, what they do, and where to find them.
How to get every mount in Minecraft Legends

There are four different mounts you can tame and ride throughout your quest in Minecraft Legends. These include the horse, bird, beetle, and tiger. All you have to do to ride a new one is find it and press Swap Mount when near it, but finding them is the tricky part. Here's where each of them resides in the world, plus what makes them special.
Where to find the horse
You won't have to go looking for the horse since you begin the game with one. This is the classic mount and is made for getting you around the map much faster than on foot. The horse's special ability is being able to sprint indefinitely at a high speed.
Where to find the bird
A bird may not sound like a creature you could ride, and yet here we are. These rainbow-colored birds are quite small, but not hard to find in the Jagged Peaks biome. Keep an eye on your map for a clue as to when you're close to one since they will automatically be marked for you. Once you've mounted a bird, you will be able to jump higher than any other mount, plus slowly glide from any height by holding the jump button.
Where to find the beetle
Perhaps an even stranger choice for a mount, the beetle is much bigger than their real-life counterparts. These insects are native to the Jungle biomes, so venture into the trees to snag one. The Beetle has two special attributes, the first it shares with the bird which is being able to glide by holding jump in the air. The beetle's unique skill is that it can climb up any surface. So, while slow, it is very versatile and strategic.
Where to find the tiger
Now we're talking! If you want to play He-Man and ride your very own tiger, get yourself on a safari to the Dry Savanna biome to track one down. The tiger has the most simple ability, which is that it is simply the fastest mount you can get. However, this speed does come with a downside. Unlike the Horse, the Tiger doesn't have infinite stamina, so you will need to slow down eventually.

Gaming

U.K. wants Call of Duty removed from Microsoft’s Activision acquisition

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.

Microsoft has hit a major roadblock in its attempt to acquire Activision Blizzard, as the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has determined that the deal "could harm U.K. gamers." For the deal to go through, the CWA is suggesting some major concessions, like Activision Blizzard divesting in the Call of Duty or Activision segments of its business ahead of the acquisition.
A notice of possible remedies document asks Activision Blizzard to do one of the following three things if it doesn't want the acquisition to be potentially prohibited.

"Divestiture of the business associated with Call of Duty."
"Divestiture of the Activision segment of Activision Blizzard, Inc., which would include the business associated with Call of Duty."
"Divestiture of the Activision segment and the Blizzard segment of Activision Blizzard Inc., which would include the business associated with Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, among other titles."