If Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) stole the limelight for itself during the launch of iPhone 6 and iWatch, its competitor Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) accomplished the same result when it successfully captured the world’s attention with an announcement pertaining to the acquisition of Mojang. For the benefit of those who are not aware, Mojang is the creator of Minecraft, a PC game which had been released five years back and enjoys unparalleled popularity amongst computer, tablet and mobile phone users.
While the deal is estimated to be sealed at $2.5 billion, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s intention is being interpreted by analysts as being an attempt to channel the potential of 100 million enthusiasts to the benefit of its Windows phone. As per Rick Sherlund, an analyst with Nomura –
“We don’t view this acquisition as a signal of Microsoft’s intent to double down on Xbox but consider it an attempt to better address mobile on a cross-platform basis. This also appears to be consistent with (Microsoft) CEO Satya Nadella’s mobile and cloud strategy.”
Given the fact that the Windows phone system enjoys claim to only about 2.5% of the smartphone segment and statistics pertaining to its tablet may only be marginally higher, integrating it with a game like Minecraft is a good way of boosting popularity. The situation is best summed up by Dave Bisceglia, CEO of Tap Lab when he offered the following analysis –
“It seems like Microsoft is looking at Mojang and Minecraft as a way to tap into this enormous cultural phenomenon. If you look at iOS, Minecraft has been a top-grossing game for quite some time, if Microsoft could on Windows phones give players a unique and compelling experience that you can’t get on the other platforms, that could be a driver to sell devices to existing Minecraft fans.”
This app is available on Apple Inc (NASDAQAAPL)’s iOS and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s Android but its version on Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) might vary a little in terms of features, a fact that hard-core Minecraft fans are not very happy about. To this effect, Minecraft’s creator Markus Persson has always been critical of the Windows platform for the game owing to the smaller size of their phones and negligible market share. Although his sentiments might be shared by many users, the day of marriage between Minecraft and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is not very far off.
This article has been written by Vinita Basu.
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