Mojang Studios Explores New Revenue Streams Beyond Gamers
The studio behind the popular video game Minecraft is looking to diversify its revenue streams as growth in the gaming sector slows down. Mojang Studios, the maker of Minecraft, is venturing into partnerships in areas such as merchandising, education, and content-streaming, according to its chief Åsa Bredin. In addition to a Warner Bros-distributed movie adaptation set to premiere in April, the studio is also working on a Netflix series.
Bredin mentioned in an interview in Tokyo that fans of the 15-year-old franchise include those who don’t even play the game but still want to be part of the Minecraft world. “Within our portfolio of experiences, we want to be able to cater to a lot of people,” she said.
Microsoft Corp-owned Mojang has transformed Minecraft from a one-person project into a global service with over 100 million active users each month. The studio’s consumer products business revenue has doubled over the last two years, offering items ranging from clothing to plushy toys.
Following the trend, other gaming giants like Nintendo and Sony are also broadening the appeal of their gaming properties. Nintendo is working on a live-action film based on the Legend Of Zelda franchise, while Sony has turned The Last Of Us into an HBO series and created games based on the Spider-Man movies.
Minecraft has become one of the most popular titles among elementary school children in Japan, with Minecraft YouTubers gaining millions of views. Despite this success, Microsoft’s Xbox game console has faced challenges in gaining traction in the Japanese gaming market.
Mojang has integrated artificial intelligence into the game to moderate chats and content, catering to different age groups. Bredin emphasized that while AI is transforming the gaming industry, game-building will always require creativity and talent.
As AI continues to disrupt the gaming industry, companies are adapting to the changes. Microsoft, a backer of OpenAI, laid off 1,900 employees across its video-game divisions earlier this year. Bredin remains optimistic about the role of AI in the industry, believing that creativity will always be at the core of game development.
