Minecraft hits $80M in sales with over 5M paid downloads

Financials filed by Mojang have revealed since Minecraft's launch in October 2010, the game has accumulated over $80 million thanks to more than 5 million paid downloads.

The report on the Financial Times also states that over $1 million was made through merchandise licensing with T-shirts and socks the most popular items of the lot.

With over 4 million YouTube videos online showing off user creations in the game, it was only a matter of time before the developer was approached by Hollywood, with ideas of Minecraft-related content on television; however, Carl Manneh, Mojang’s chief executive has said the firm will only do projects outside the realm of gaming "if the right idea comes along."

“We’ve been approached by a number of high-profile Hollywood producers and asked to do TV shows,” said Manneh. "We may do that. It’s hard when you don’t have any experience and someone comes to throw these ideas around.

"We have so much to focus on with just the game development and growing the business. But if the right idea comes along and the right people that we’d want to work with, we’d say why not?”

Minecraft releases on Xbox 360 May 9.