What is the process that Minecraft achieved 30 million pieces sold from indie games?

In the world full of dot-taste 3D blocks, you can create a game where you can freely create what you like, from the house and mountains to the earth "Minecraft"Is sold to selling, with sales of 12 million copies in the official version for PC / Mac, 10 million copies in the Android version, and 8 million copies in the Xbox version. It was Notch who is the developer of Minecraft which grew Minecraft which was originally released at indiezMarx · PerssonMr. and his companyMojang ABSo, how Minecraft was born and reached a huge hit, the movie that pressed the secret "Minecraft: The Story of Mojang"But2 Player ProductionThe full movie has been released on YouTube.

Minecraft: The Story of Mojang
http://minecraftstoryofmojang.com/

Minecraft: The Story of Mojang (Official Version!) - YouTube


"It is a feeling that various ideas are gathered together in my head, it was a very emotional and mysterious experience," notes Marcus Persson who talks about the state of Minecraft's idea.


Mr. Parson developed Minecraft in 2009 using his free time. Minecraft will grow to work that causes social phenomena at the end of 2011.


Swedish rural townEdsbynMr. Persson who spent his childhood in the place called 8 years old started programming.


"The reason Marx left his former job is because I wanted to start a business with game development that is also my hobby, because Marx was making games if there was time," Parson's fiancée And Elin Zetterstrand who learns Mr. Persson from the creation of Mojang AB before.


Mr. Persson developed a game individually "METAGUN" ... ...


"BUNNY PRESS"


"BREAKING THE TOWER" and so on.


"When I quit my company, I first started a project for about 6 to 12 months, and that project finally became Minecraft," Mr. Parson said.


Minecraft is an open world based game that allows players to create something they like, such as houses and mountains.



Jakob Porser, who founded Mojang AB with Mr. Parson, said, "Minecraft was a game that only stacks blocks at the beginning of the development, because it fell on going to the edge of the field, because it fell, I will talk.


This is the initial prototype of Minecraft.


Climbing mountains in the present Minecraft ......


You can explore the cave.


In addition, it is possible to create houses and buildings.


Carl Manneh, Cofounder of Mojang AB, was unable to feel the potential power of the game when seeing Minecraft for the first time, but as Mr. Persson got an explanation, the attraction of the game He seems to have noticed.


Minecraft Beta Releases Initially the number of sales was around 40 per day, but gradually increased through the Internet and recorded a hit of selling 10,000 daily. Ultimately the beta version has sold more than 1 million books.


Simon Lane and Lewis Brindley, founder of The Yogcast, "Minecraft's success story is very strange, since Minecraft has hardly promoted anything, as game information gets widespread in player reviews, explosive It led to sales, "commented on the success of Minecraft.


Indeed, many Minecraft play movies have been posted on YouTube, and there are times when the number of views exceeds 6 million.


Mr. Parson will establish Mojang AB in order to step up Minecraft which was successful as an indies game to the next stage.


There are only a few PCs in the office of Mojang AB at the time of establishment.


"When I heard that Notch established a company, I sent an email to Notch saying that I would like to cooperate as an art developer, Notch told me that I would like to see you and hiring was decided as soon as I actually met. It is exciting to be part of the team from the start of development, "said Mojang AB's art developer JUNKBOY.


Since Mojang AB was established Minecraft will continue to grow with version upgrading one after another.


Sthephen Totilo, editor in Kotaku, says, "Up until now, the game was basically to play and finish." Minecraft, which is upgraded one by one, can feel the growth of the game by the player , It is not the end when you purchase and play.The Minecraft is what the player can play as a creator, "he tells about the charm of Minecraft.


"I can imagine, but there are still a lot of things I do not even know what game Minecraft will ultimately become," Parson said.


Members who make meetings several times for upgrading


And Minecraft is a gaming industry entrance festivalIndependent Game Festival(IGF), it will be elected to three categories, Best Award, Technical Award, Design Award.


Mr. Parson who came to San Francisco to attend IGF.


There were many people who are doing cosplay of Minecraft at the festival venue.


Mr. Parson is asked to shake hands from many fans at the venue.


According to Persson who first interacted with fans of Mincraft at the venue, since he was able to communicate with fans only with a PC monitor until now, he seems to be worried whether he really truly loved Minecraft, but since I attended IGF It is finally becoming realistic. About the indies game "I think that the indie game is the game for those who really want to make the game.The big companies are developing games for money, but the creator of the indie games is I do not think that this is the merit of indie games. "


After the selection with IGF, Minecraft won three of the Best Download Game Award, Innovation Award, Best New Award.


Mr. Parson wrote about IGF's awards "I could not believe it, because I thought that I could be happy if I got a prize, I definitely became the best day in my life," he said with excitement.


Trophy received when Minecraft won. In this way Minecraft will start climbing the stairs to success.


Founder of Lionhead and a game "Populus"Or"FableIt is also a game designer ofPeter Molynew"I was shocked when I played Minecraft for the first time, and Minecraft had absolutely no tutorials or missions in other games, and Minecraft was very good for LEGO who played a lot when I was small It is similar.The Minecraft has a feeling that Minecraft has the feeling of putting all the lego that entered the basket on the carpet and leaving it to creativity and making something, "he tells about the charm of Minecraft.


Mr. Parson says, "I do not want to make Mojang AB a big company, the more the employees become more difficult to manage.The game developed by a big growing company is a game released when the company was small and It is one of the reasons why I am not interesting compared to the other.I know that the picture quality is improving, but I want to make an interesting game, but that's it. "


And the world's largest computer game related fair held in Los Angeles every year "E3"Minecraft participates. Minecraft grows into a game attracting attention from all over the world.


Mike Krahulik, who says that Minecraft has changed the common sense of games, said, "If your children are playing games too much as a parent, you will be careful as a child, but with Minecraft you can not do that, once the son is playing Minecraft To my surprise, my son was convinced of connecting water pipes to make a waterway.The son thought about where to secure water from where it was efficient.This would stop the game I can not say it, because Minecraft can be used for education though it is a game, "he says about the possibilities other than Minecraft 's game.


Columbia Glamor School in New York actually incorporates Minecraft as part of the lesson.


According to Professor Joel Levin who took Minecraft into class, when he played Minecraft for the first time, he thought that "this game is suitable for education".


Mr. Levin said to the students, "Today's lesson is to build a house in Minecraft," the students are delighted.


A state of actual class.


All the students cooperate and build a house.


The Minecraft class is also highly praised by students and parents of students.


Mr. Persson who heard that Minecraft is adopted in the place of education said, "I can not believe it, it was something I could not anticipate when developing it, but I will not be responsible for developing games more than ever. I am impressed with "I can not do it.


Meanwhile, Mojang AB is in the process of final adjustment for the forthcoming release of the official version of Minecraft in a week.


Work such as debugging is done.


Employees who look pretty tired.



On the eve of the official release, Mr. Parson begins to play with Lego. It seems to be considerably nervous towards the official release event "MINECON" to be held in Las Vegas the next day.


At last the Minecraft formal version was announced.


Members of Mojang AB entering the hall.


Preparation for setting up is done at the venue.


Participants entering the hall starting MINECON.


PERSON who is welcomed by the audience with applause at Minecraft's official announcement event.


Mr. Parson grabbed a Minecraft-like lever installed on the platform ... ...


Finally the release of the official version of Minecraft started.


The hall was very exciting and MINECON finished successfully.


Despite the official version being released, Persson says, "There are still many things left to do, and Minecraft may never become a complete version," and the fire of passion for Minecraft has disappeared It seems not to be.