Microsoft will acquire the maker of the popular game Minecraft for $2.5 billion. The technology company said it will buy Stockholm-based game maker Mojang. Minecraft, which lets users build in and explore a virtual world, has been downloaded 100 million times on PC alone since its launch in 2009. It is the most popular online game on Xbox, and the top paid app for Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating system in the U.S. Move for mobile? Microsoft will acquire the maker of the popular game Minecraft for $2.5 billion in a move many insiders say is engineered to increase the tech giant's share in the mobile market
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Minecraft, which lets users build in and explore a virtual world, has been downloaded 100 million times on PC alone since its launch in 2009
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It is the most popular online game on Xbox, and the top paid app for Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating system in the U.S.
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Insiders say the move is Microsoft's attempt to capture more of the mobile OS market
However, many contend that Microsoft's impending purchase of Mojang, is more aimed at pulling users onto the software company's obscure mobile platform than its better known PC system or @placeholder game console.