Origins of Minecraft (2009)

• Markus Persson (screen name: Notch) - Stockholm-based programmer working evenings on passion projects
• Initially created "RubyDung" - fantasy group manager game with Ruby Lands and Dungeons
  • Featured texture atlas with grass and cobblestone textures
  • Included digital landscape with trees
  • First person view implementation failed due to pixelation
  • Project scrapped, unknowingly creating first Minecraft prototype
• Worked at Midas Player (later created Candy Crush) as day job programmer
  • Bosses discovered his game development hobby, barred him from continuing
  • Quit job, joined jAlbum software company (digital photo album software)
  • CEO Carl Manneh actively encouraged game development

Infiniminer Inspiration (April 2009)

• Discovered "Infiniminer" by Zachary Barth
  • Multiplayer block-digging game for mineral collection
  • Players abandoned objective to focus on building structures
  • Development plagued by code modifications, fragmented user base
  • Barth abandoned project, made code open source
• Persson's epiphany: wanted to improve upon Infiniminer concept
• Reworked RubyDung over weekend, created "Cave Game" prototype

Early Development and Community Building

• Joined TIGSource indie game forum for developer feedback
• Community suggested name "Minecraft: Order of the Stone" (later shortened)
• May 17, 2009: Posted first playable link to TIGSource
  • 12 minutes: First positive feedback about exploration
  • 3 minutes later: Praise for animations, noted Infiniminer similarity
  • Rapid community growth through screenshot sharing
• Persson updated blog daily with progress on community-requested features
• Planned multiple game modes: creative, survival, team survival, fortress

Technical Challenges and Multiplayer Implementation

• No save functionality or multiplayer initially available
• Persson repeatedly distracted from multiplayer development by more interesting features
• Added water system instead of focusing on multiplayer
• Eventually implemented downloadable server system with IP broadcasting
• Nearly one month of constant updates, debugging, and fine-tuning

Commercialization Strategy (2009)

• Late 2000s norm: release games as freeware with ad revenue
• Persson's innovative approach: reward early adopters with pricing structure
• Immediate sales success despite warnings people wouldn't pay
• PayPal account frozen due to suspected fraud from high income influx
• Reduced jAlbum work to part-time status
• Collaborated with Daniel Rosenfeld for sound design and iconic soundtrack

Business Formation and Growth (2010)

• Sales growth enabled full departure from jAlbum
• Formed Mojang company with:
  • Jakob Porser (former Midas Player colleague)
  • Carl Manneh (former jAlbum CEO)
• August 2010: Valve meeting in Bellevue, Washington
  • Valve offered Persson position, declined to focus on Minecraft
  • Organized impromptu MinecraftCon 2010: 50 people in park
• End of 2010: Over 700,000 sales while still in beta phase

Official Launch and MineCon 2011

• November 2011: Official MineCon with 4,500 attendees
• Featured Deadmau5 as party DJ
• Grand finale: Persson pulled blocky lever for official game release
• Two weeks post-launch: Persson stepped down as lead developer
• Jens Bergensten took over development helm

Post-Launch Challenges and Burnout (2011-2014)

• Persson continued receiving complaints despite stepping down
• Pay-to-win server controversy violated end user license agreement
• Mojang crackdown on pay-to-win servers created negative feedback
• June 17, 2014 tweet: "Anyone want to buy my share of Mojang so I can move on with my life?"

Microsoft Acquisition (2014)

• Companies responded immediately: EA, Activision, Microsoft
• Deal finalized: $2.5 billion acquisition
• Founders (Persson, Manneh, Porser) stepped away completely
• All employees protected from layoffs
• Persson became billionaire overnight as major shareholder

Post-Sale Life and Controversy

• Moved to Los Angeles, bought most expensive Beverly Hills mansion
• Hosted extravagant parties, continued game development
• Minecraft achieved 300+ million sales, most sold video game ever
• 2017: Racist and homophobic tweets led to Microsoft distancing
  • Name scrubbed from game
  • Not invited to 10th anniversary celebration
• Legacy significantly impacted by harmful social media comments