Wed, Apr 06, 2011 | 18:29 BST
Minecraft revenues total $33 million so far
Minecraft has become a massive sales hit for any PC game, indie or otherwise, and a recent admission by its creator has given us a clue as to how much money the sandbox smash has grossed.
In a discussion on Reddit, Minecraft creator Marcus “Notch” Persson admitted that the game has generated “a lot” of money, but added, “It all ends up in an account somewhere, and I try not to look at it. I get a normal salary these days for day to day stuff, but there’s a big pile somewhere.”
The first alpha version of the game sold 800,000 copies at a price of €9.95, while the current beta version has so far sold just over 1 million copies at €14.95, according to Persson. Gamasutra calculated that adds up to around €23 million, or just over $33 million, so far.
Of course, not all of that money goes straight to Persson.
He said: “Paypal takes a cut, there are taxes, and such, but it’s still a huge wad of money.”
And it doesn’t look like the money train will end any time soon: the Minecraft stats page shows that close to 10,000 people bought the game in the past 24 hours.
11 comments
#1
Hunam
06/04/11, 6:37 pm
I think paypal should be sending him high class hookers over as a way of thanks.
#2
Stardog
06/04/11, 7:00 pm
The sales after the price hike are amazing. I bought it when it was selling around 400 per day. I remember 5 months ago people saying the sales wouldn’t last…
#3
DSB
06/04/11, 7:06 pm
Glad I got mine before the beta.
Fuck me, though. 1,800,000 copies, one guy. Shit, man. At least its well deserved.
Someone at Lego should be committing suicide right now.
#4
Yoshi
06/04/11, 8:10 pm
I’m sorry did someone say PC gaming is dying?
#5
Old MacDonald
06/04/11, 8:19 pm
3: It’s not one guy any more, it’s a small company with several employees and they’re already working on their second game, Scrolls. Still, yeah, it’s really impressive.
I think Minecraft and the response to it is the best thing that’s happened to the games industry in years. Almost two million people have so far said “hey, we’re okay with buying an unfinished, PC-only indie game directly from the developer’s website”. That’s amazing. And important.
#6
DSB
06/04/11, 8:26 pm
@5 Duh :p
It wasn’t even one guy to begin with, he had people helping him out, but they left before Minecraft blew up, leaving Notch with the sole responsibility for the most amazing indie ip around, once the tsunami of riches came through the door.
It has been a remarkably stable alpha and beta though. Notch done good.
#7
dark_prince123
06/04/11, 8:33 pm
one guys, 10 guys it doesn’t matter, he still earning lots of money and he deserve each penny he earns
#8
Hunam
06/04/11, 9:39 pm
I just hope he doesn’t get swayed by businessmen and suits to go public and float his company or seek investors or what not. Keep it in house, keep it private, just like Valve, then you can make what ever games you want to what ever niche and schedule you want. Investors are generally bad for long terms gaming companies.
#9
DSB
06/04/11, 9:44 pm
It’s always a risk, but I don’t see it happening. He’s already been courted by everyone who’s anyone, and he hasn’t taken the bait.
Imagine saying no to Valve? Christ.
He’s also made some hard decisions in the early development of the game, and considering his past in other projects, I think he’s a pretty solid “big picture” kind of guy.
Aside from that, he’s doing so well with just a simple website and a paypal account, that he won’t have to consider investors for the next two or three games he works on.
I have faith in the boy.
#10
viralshag
06/04/11, 11:50 pm
Minecraft is addictive like crack coated in crack dipped in some more crack.
#11
Lewis247
06/04/11, 11:54 pm
I think notch is pretty down to earth, I can’t see things going down hill from here.
I just find it so amazing that a game so simple, not finished, made by a handfull of people can grab so much of my attention and have me playing every day. It’s just so wonderful.
I actually really enjoy that the game ain’t finished It’s like any other game that gets released, you feel like there should be extra things added despite being the final product, well with minecraft it just keeps on giving.
Oh and i’m super happy I bought during alpha! haha