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MINECRAFT

Minecraft creator beats Beyonce in mansion bid

UPDATED: Swedish billionaire Markus Persson is reported to have outbid the likes of Jay-Z and Beyonce with his half billion kronor offer ($70 million) for a 2,000-square-metre Beverly Hills mansion.

Minecraft creator beats Beyonce in mansion bid
Markus Persson created hit game Minecraft. Photo: TT

The tremendously successful video game creator earned the exclusive set of keys to the phenomenal property after a bidding war with four other potential buyers in what is reportedly the most expensive house sale ever in Beverly Hills.

The self-proclaimed “nerdy computer programmer” from humble beginnings acquired the massive property with features such as a candy room, car showroom, vodka and tequila bars, eight bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, apartment-sized closets, and a movie theater.

According to a press release from John Aaroe Group, the agency which represented 35-year old Persson in the deal, it is the highest price ever paid for a house in Beverly Hills. Persson quickly decided he wanted the home, paid all cash, and closed the sale in a speedy six days.

A listing for the mega-mansion appearing back in August referred to the property as “an overwhelming sensory experience unlike any you've felt before” – and asked for $85 million.

BELOW: Take a video tour of the apartment 

1181 N Hillcrest Rd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 from Tri-Blend Media on Vimeo.

Past and present neighbors on Persson’s new exclusive Trousdale Estates neighbourhood street include Jennifer Aniston, Ellen DeGeneres, Oakley founder Jim Jannard, and Ringo Starr.

The contemporary-style home includes a glass wall providing a 280-degree view of the city and Pacific Ocean and comes completely furnished – Hermès chairs and Roberto Cavalli sheets included. 

The video game designer became a billionaire in September when he sold his company Mojang to Microsoft for 18 billion kronor ($2.5 billion), announcing at the time that he had never intended to make such a fortune

“I make games because it’s fun, and because I love games and I love to program, but I don’t make games with the intention of them becoming huge hits.”

Persson also publicly voiced his views vis-a-vis his growing heaps of cash last year on Reddit, saying “I think the right way to use money like this is to set a decent portion aside to make sure my family is comfortable, spend some on living out your dreams, and then try to put the rest towards making society a better place.” 

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MINECRAFT

Microsoft to buy Swedish Minecraft makers

UPDATED: Microsoft announced on Monday that it was buying Swedish company Mojang, which was behind the hit game Minecraft, for $2.5 billion (17.9 billion kronor).

Microsoft to buy Swedish Minecraft makers
"Yes, the deal is real. Mojang is being bought by Microsoft," read an official statement from Mojang on Monday.
 
The Swedish company added that Minecraft had grown from "a simple game" to "a project of monumental significance".
 
The game's creator Markus Persson, also known as Notch in the gaming community, explained that he wasn't into game-making for the fame.
 
"I don’t make games with the intention of them becoming huge hits, and I don’t try to change the world," he wrote in a statement.
 
"Ive become a symbol. I don’t want to be a symbol, responsible for something huge that I don’t understand," he added. "I’m not an entrepreneur. I’m not a CEO. I’m a nerdy computer programmer who likes to have opinions on Twitter."
 

Markus Persson. Photo: TT
 
Persson added that he plans to go back to conducting small web experiments. 
 
"If I ever accidentally make something that seems to gain traction, I’ll probably abandon it immediately," he wrote, adding that the sale wasn't about the money, rather about his sanity.

 
Most of the Mojang staff will continue to work under Microsoft's ownership. 
 
"Gaming is a top activity spanning devices, from PCs and consoles to tablets and mobile, with billions of hours spent each year," Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, said in a statement. 
 
"Minecraft is more than a great game franchise – it is an open world platform, driven by a vibrant community we care deeply about."

 
Minecraft has sold some 50 million copies around the world since its creation in 2009, and hasn't slowed down. Last year a Stockholm school even made the game mandatory learning.
 
 

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