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BETA | MOJANG, NOTCH & FAME
Persson’s known One of the most famous indie developers of all time, Markus Persson – AKA Notch – won three Develop Awards last month. Not bad going for after just two years’ work making a game, Minecraft, which isn’t even finished yet. He and colleague Daniel Kaplan spoke to Michael French about fame, fortune, and fandom arlier this year, EA CEO John Riccitiello took a flight to Stockholm. His destination was not EA DICE, the much-admired Swedish studio responsible for Battlefield. Instead, he was heading for a meeting with games development’s most wanted: Markus Persson, creator of Minecraft. As an acquisitive CEO, you can imagine Riccitiello’s intentions. It’s just one example of the attention culthit-turned-commercial-smash Minecraft has afforded Persson and the team at his micro studio Mojang. This unassuming man from Sweden, nondescript without his trademark hat, is one of the games development elite. He launched his construction game in alpha in 2009, adding a paid-for beta last year. Since then he and his game have soared, in terms of reputation and bank balance. The beta, which includes a free copy of the final game, was an instant cash cow. Minecraft’s fans are happy to pay for the unfinished game, and offer feedback and support in the form of devoted forums, wikis, YouTube videos. They have taken Minecraft from game to phenomenon. Persson himself has gone from man on the street to superstar. He even has a verified Twitter account (@notch, FYI). With plenty of fans amongst the development community, last month, Develop made the success even more real, with a triple-whammy of Develop Award wins – for Download IP, New Studio and Micro Studio.
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Right: Daniel Kaplan and Markus Persson accept one of their three prizes at the Develop Industry Excellence Awards
44 | AUGUST 2011
FAME AND FORTUNE His story is sensational; celebrity in games (he was asked for autographs while sat at the Develop Awards). How’d that happen? “The thing that made Minecraft grow was that fans are so dedicated,” he tells Develop. “I originally made it on my own so when the fanbase grew they knew me as much as the game, which made me famous, I guess. “At first all the fame was on forums – ‘oh, you’re that Notch?’ But the fame started spilling into real life, which was uncomfortable. The internet is just text on a screen – but people coming up and recognising me when I walk around Stockholm, that’s strange.” It’s the kind of star power usually reserved for CliffyB, Molyneux, Miyamoto… but a young 32-year-old coder who previously churning out casual games for King.com? Unheard of. “So I don’t know if the fame has changed me… But I have tried to be more cautious about what I say in public. Less crude jokes, and I have a very morbid sense of humour, so I need to be careful. I’ve stopped cursing online too.” ON THE MONEY Regular readers and spectators of the Minecraft phenomenon will know that the
popularity has brought commercial rewards. Persson is very upfront with his sales figures. At one point he was making $250,000 a day. Revenue so far is estimated around £33m. Minecraft tends to sell 9,800 to 10,000 a day, depending on the time of the week, and time between game updates. At $15 a pop for an unfinished game, that’s astonishing.
I have tried to be more cautious about what I say in public. I have a very morbid sense of humour, so I need to be careful. Markus Persson The game turned Persson into a millionaire. He doesn’t mind being asked about money, but doesn’t bring it up himself. He seems bemused by it, more than anything. And he thinks the rest of the industry can be enriched if it follows his lead in being so open with numbers: “I think it helps the entire industry to share data. Because there is a disturbing trend to not share them. How can we learn if we don’t share?” Some of the cash has been used to form a more professional outfit, Mojang Specifications, which is working on new games including RPG Scrolls, as well as finishing Minecraft. The studio is now at over 10 staff. Mojang’s first hire was 25-year-old Daniel Kaplan as business development. He was the first employee to sign a Mojang contract, joining in September 2010. The pair met at an indie gamejam in Malmö. “I knew about Minecraft, but it wasn’t big,” says Kaplan. “I saw Markus blog that he needed help, so I applied. It seems to be a great mix.” He’s not wrong. “I’m still surprised by the amount of people he knows and remembers the name of,” says Persson, complementing his employee/colleague. But witness them together and you see a friendship and enthusiasm that’s ambitious but untainted by corporate
expectations, and still full of surprise. Adds Kaplan: “When I started working with Markus we asked ourselves – how many can we sell? We thought two million was a crazy number. But we’ve already shot beyond that. We have a really stable sales rate and some very passionate fans.” THE LONG CON To celebrate the passion around his game, Persson is organising a Las Vegas MinecraftCon. It will be the ultimate expression of the fandom around him – it’s for the fans, not the bank accoumt. “As the budget looks now, we may make a loss no matter what, but… it’s for the people that love Minecraft and made it what it is,” says Persson. “Online 40,000 said they would go. That’s crazy.” Kaplan tempers the excitement a bit: “I don’t think that many will, but if 10 per cent of that came, that would be amazing.” Certainly – Activision, majordomo of gaming, expects just 6,000 Call of Duty fans to its first XP expo next month. If MinecraftCon attracts two thirds of that, it’ll be clear which has the more passionate army. MinecraftCon will include dinner with Notch himself, plus merchandise and sessions. But the grand moment will be the live release of the finished game. Thousands will assemble to watch a friendly, portly Swedish games