Minecraft is a Microsoft owned property, ever since Microsoft’s buyout of developer Mojang last year, but it’s available on literally everything. I mean it- it’s on PC and Mac, sure, as well as on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, but it’s also on the PS3, PS4, and PS Vita, in addition to Microsoft’s own Xbox 360 and Xbox One (it’s actually the Vita’s highest selling game). And now, it’s hopping on over to Nintendo’s Wii U too.
Speaking about why Microsoft spreads Minecraft as far and wide as they do, Major Nelson told Geekwire that Microsoft views the title as more than a game- it’s a platform unto itself, a playground for this generation of kids.
“[Minecraft] gets this new generation to think analytically. In order to do things, you think okay I want to build X, Y or Z and okay, you have to come up with a plan. Do you have enough resources to build this thing? What’s the design look like? It’s going to make them think more analytically…It’s the new playground where kids are testing social boundaries and are learning social skills inside of the game,” Nelson told GeekWire.
But what about competition? Aren’t Microsoft enabling PlayStation and Nintendo by putting what is their biggest property on those systems? Aren’t they undercutting potential sales they might get if Minecraft was Xbox exclusive?
“Selling units is just one of the many numbers we look at and certainly we want everyone to understand what Xbox can offer…We certainly look at the numbers, that’s how you understand what the competitive landscape is like, but at the end of the day, we know that there are some amazing titles coming out this year. The Xbox One has an incredible portfolio, not to mention the Backwards Compatibility,” Nelson said.
Well… alright then. I’m not complaining, kids love Minecraft, and the easier it is for them to play it, the better.