General Gaming ‘Minecraft’ Creator Excluded From Anniversary Due to ‘Comments and Opinions’

[Pikachu]

https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/minecraft-creator-excluded-from-anniversary-due-to-comments-and-opinions-exclusive-1203200050/

 

Quote

“Minecraft” creator Marcus “Notch” Persson, who sold the title to Microsoft for $2.5 billion in 2014, won’t be part of 10-year anniversary plans for the game because of his “comments and opinions,” Microsoft tells Variety.

 

“His comments and opinions do not reflect those of Microsoft or Mojang and are not representative of ‘Minecraft,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Variety.

 

The spokesperson also noted that Persson hasn’t been involved with “Minecraft” since he sold the studio and rights to the game in 2014. 

 

Persson, once an involved member of the video game development community, has increasingly ostracized himself with his Twitter comments, including transphobic statements and comments about a “heterosexual pride day,” and  that “it’s ok to be white.” Persson has about 3.7 million followers on Twitter.

 

An update to the game last month removed loading screen text on “Minecraft” that referenced Persson. Microsoft didn’t comment about the decision to remove the reference last month.

 

But speaking with Variety this week, a Microsoft official confirmed that Persson would not take part in a press event at Minecraft studio Mojang in Stockholm to celebrate the May 17. The event will look at the “past, present and exciting future of the decade-old franchise,” according to the company.

 

“Minecraft” is a seminal video game. With more than 91 million monthly players, the building and survival game is the second best-selling video game in history, behind “Tetris.”

 

“Minecraft” is available on all gaming platforms.

 

[Paperclyp]

I’m sure the removal of his name from the loading screen was purely incidental as noted in the prior thread. 

[GameDadGrant]

13 hours ago, Man of Culture said:

Dude is worth a billion dollars. He basically went full "I give no fucks" mode.

Preeeeeetty much.

[Nokt]

15 hours ago, Paperclyp said:

I’m sure the removal of his name from the loading screen was purely incidental as noted in the prior thread. 

The dude hasn't even been to minecon since 2016 (I think). I have doubts that he would show up either way if he wasn't barred. 

 

I still hold to that during the time, with the information we had, there was a very good chance that it wasn't deliberate. But yes, you were right.

[Paperclyp]

1 hour ago, Nokt said:

The dude hasn't even been to minecon since 2016 (I think). I have doubts that he would show up either way if he wasn't barred. 

 

I still hold to that during the time, with the information we had, there was a very good chance that it wasn't deliberate. But yes, you were right.

That’s fair.

[XxEvil AshxX]

I can't believe Andrea Renee on Kinda Funny (I actually can) was ragging on MS for banning him. I don't remember her exact words, but basically she said they were being petty. She always gives full disclosure that her husband works at Sony, but she says it doesn't effect her opinion on the industry, but she can be horribly biased from time to time (in fact it seems to be getting more frequent) especially when Microsoft/Xbox is concerned. 

[Nokt]

2 minutes ago, Man of Culture said:

In terms of practical business sense, censoring or removing anything that you know (or strongly predict) will affect your bottom-line is definitely something that corporations often do. So it's should be to no one's -- who follows him on twitter -- surprise that Marcus was removed from the credits. I think what people fail to understand is that Marcus sold his rights to Minecraft years ago and as such, he really has no say in any of Microsoft's decisions and hasn't actively contributed to Minecraft's development since at least late 2012. That being said, I can empathize with the notion that one shouldn't disassociate the art with the artist out of respect to their creative contribution, especially considering that a lot of famous creative people have been complete and total douche bags, historically and currently. At that point, you either choose to consume the art and just not think about the artist, or you vote with your wallet and refuse to financially support them.

He is still in the credits. He was removed from the splash screen, the small yellow text when you open the game. 

[Nokt]

19 minutes ago, Man of Culture said:

Literally doesn't change a thing I wrote.

I wasn't using it as evidence to support otherwise. Just providing the correct information. 

Sorry if it came of as douchy, it wasn't intended that way. 

[XxEvil AshxX]

16 minutes ago, Man of Culture said:

 

In terms of practical business sense, censoring or removing anything that you know (or strongly predict) will affect your bottom-line is definitely something that corporations often do. So it's should be to no one's -- who follows him on twitter -- surprise that Marcus was removed from the credits. I think what people (who are upset) fail to understand is that Marcus sold his rights to Minecraft years ago and as such, he really has no say in any of Microsoft's decisions and hasn't actively contributed to Minecraft's development since at least late 2012. That being said, I can empathize with the notion that one shouldn't disassociate the art with the artist out of respect to their creative contribution, especially considering that a lot of famous creative people have been complete and total douche bags, historically and currently. At that point, you either choose to consume the art and just not think about the artist, or you vote with your wallet and refuse to financially support them.

 

I get what you're saying. Hemingway was an insufferable drunk, and was quite possibly a complete asshole, yet people still publish and read his books. 

 

What I'm getting at though, is that Andrea, despite knowing exactly how business works, was like, "they should've still invited him to the party." There's no way in a frozen hell Microsoft is touching that guy with a ten foot pole, and neither would Sony, Nintendo, or any other organization with public perception to worry about. He's a PR nightmare waiting to happen. 

 

That said, the guy has his 2 billion dollars, and likely doesn't a rat's ass if he's invited or not. I know I wouldn't. You give me a couple billion bucks for my creative work and you could do whatever the hell you want with it and I couldn't care less if I never heard from you again.