Microsoft Brings Minecraft to China
After a long period spent on legal affairs, Microsoft finally managed to introduce to the Chinese market the Minecraft game. The company used its Mojang game studio from Sweden and asked for the help of a powerful Internet company to set the deal.
Microsoft signed a five-year contract to license the game in China, having a version of the game designed especially to fit the needs and expectations of the local market. The release date has not been made public.
Minecraft is a game that involves adventures in unknown territories, finding resources and using them to create buildings in an infinite world. Since its launch in 2011, Minecraft received many global awards and acclaims.
The game already has more than 100 million players worldwide, and the company’s representatives said they look forward to widening the community and bring new players.
Mojang, the game developers who designed the version, is a new acquisition for Microsoft. The company bought the game studio in 2014 for $2.5 billion.
A video of the one of the developers speaking Chinese and trying out martial arts moves has been used as a teaser for this important event.
„We look forward to welcoming China’s builders and adventurers to the world of Minecraft,” said Jonas Martensson, Mojang director.
NetEase, which is Microsoft’s partner in this new market entry, has been involved in the past in video games like World of Warcraft and Hearthstone. It also has vast experience in the Chinese market and in-depth knowledge of the online gaming platforms.
Microsoft’s release of the game in China comes after the 14-year ban imposed by the Chinese government, which meant high censorship over all types of media. Even though many console games will still be forbidden to cross the border, this release may be an important step in opening the market.
Moreover, the environment in China is still saturated with Internet cafés and games on mobile devices. The players are more interested in micro-transaction games, which may make Minecraft hard to sell.
Since Microsoft designed a version of the game that should fit the specifics of the local market, everyone expects the announcement for the launching date in order to better understand the results of this bold Microsoft move.
Image Source: Flickr
