"Long story short. I’d have done the same thing."
- Developer Garry Newman supports Markus "Notch" Persson's decision to sell Mojang to Microsoft. Rust and Garry's Mod developer Garry Newman published a brief post on his personal blog today that's garnering some media attention for expressing a simple sentiment: Microsoft's recent acquisition of Mojang for $2.5 billion isn't "selling out," but rather a smart move for both sides that ensures studio leaders can leave the company without leaving their employees out in the cold. "Once you start hiring people your whole attitude changes. You’re not just fucking about with your life anymore..you’re fucking about with other people’s lives – and the lives of their families," writes Newman. He points out that rather than shut down, lay everyone off and then reopen shortly thereafter (a la Blitz Studios, the UK-based developer that closed and laid off all staff last year and shortly thereafter relaunched under a new name with a significantly smaller headcount), the leaders of Mojang have done the right thing by exiting the company while ensuring that everyone who wants to stay will still have a job. "The money is enough to very much take care of all the staff. The game is in relatively safe hands. Mojang’s legacy is as a huge success story instead of a one hit wonder. Everyone wins," notes Newman. "Can you seriously say you’d have done it differently?" Newman's argument is worth reading in full over on his blog, if only for the very convincing pie charts.
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