What Happened to Mojang Studios?
Mojang Studios, originally founded by Markus Persson in 2009, is the Swedish video game developer behind the global phenomenon Minecraft. Acquired by Microsoft in 2014, the studio continues to expand the Minecraft universe through ongoing game updates, spin-off titles like Minecraft Dungeons and Minecraft Legends, and new ventures such as a theme park and film, maintaining its position as a leading force in the gaming industry.
Quick Answer
Mojang Studios, the creator of Minecraft, continues to thrive as a subsidiary of Microsoft's Xbox division. As of August 2026, the studio is actively developing new content for Minecraft, including the recent 'Tiny Takeover' update and upcoming 'Chaos Cubed' and 'Parties' features. They also released 'Minecraft Dungeons II' in 2026 and are working on a 'Minecraft World' theme park slated for 2027, demonstrating ongoing expansion of the franchise across various media. The company's reporting structure shifted in July 2026, placing it directly under the Xbox division.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline15 events
Mojang Specifications Founded
Markus Persson (Notch) officially founded Mojang Specifications to develop Minecraft.
Mojang AB Formed & Minecraft Commercial Release
Persson, Jakob Porsér, and Carl Manneh formally incorporated Mojang AB. Minecraft had its first commercial release, rapidly gaining popularity.
Acquired by Microsoft
Microsoft acquired Mojang for $2.5 billion, with Markus Persson, Jakob Porsér, and Carl Manneh subsequently leaving the company.
Rebranded to Mojang Studios
Mojang AB officially rebranded to Mojang Studios, aligning with Microsoft's studio naming conventions.
Minecraft Dungeons Released
The first major spin-off game, Minecraft Dungeons, an action-RPG dungeon crawler, was released across multiple platforms.
Minecraft Legends Announced
Mojang Studios announced Minecraft Legends, a new action-strategy game set in the Minecraft universe.
Minecraft Legends Released
Minecraft Legends, developed by Mojang Studios and Blackbird Interactive, was released.
Kayleen Walters Appointed Studio Head
Åsa Bredin stepped down, and Kayleen Walters was appointed as the new studio head for Mojang Studios.
Minecraft Movie Box Office Success
The Minecraft movie grossed $961.2 million globally, boosting game sales and mobile in-app purchases significantly.
Minecraft Reaches Peak Monthly Active Users
Minecraft recorded its highest player count since 2011, with 222.5 million monthly active users across all platforms.
New Versioning Format Announced
Mojang announced a switch to a year-based version format (e.g., 26.x) for Minecraft updates, moving away from the old 1.x system.
Minecraft Live March 2026 Showcase
Mojang Studios held a Minecraft Live event, announcing the 'Tiny Takeover' and 'Chaos Cubed' game drops, 'Parties' multiplayer features, 'Minecraft Dungeons II', and concept art for the 'Minecraft World' theme park.
Tiny Takeover Update Release
The 'Tiny Takeover' cosmetic update for Minecraft, giving creatures new looks and sounds, was released for Java and Bedrock editions.
Reporting Structure Shift to Xbox Division
As part of a major restructuring within Microsoft's gaming business, Mojang Studios was made to report directly to Asha Sharma of the Xbox division.
Minecraft Dungeons II Slated for Release
Mojang Studios, in collaboration with Double Eleven, is slated to release Minecraft Dungeons II.
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🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Mojang Studios was founded in 2009 by independent Swedish game designer Markus Persson, known as 'Notch,' initially under the name Mojang Specifications to develop the groundbreaking sandbox game Minecraft. The game quickly gained immense popularity, leading to the formal incorporation of Mojang AB in late 2010 with Persson, Jakob Porsér, and CEO Carl Manneh at the helm. Minecraft's unprecedented success, selling millions of copies and generating substantial revenue, established Mojang as a significant player in the gaming world.
A pivotal moment for Mojang occurred in November 2014 when Microsoft acquired the studio for $2.5 billion. This acquisition was driven by Persson's desire to move on from Minecraft's development and Microsoft's strategic interest in owning one of the world's most popular intellectual properties. Following the acquisition, Persson, Porsér, and Manneh departed, with Mojang becoming part of Microsoft Studios (later Xbox Game Studios). Despite initial concerns among some employees about losing the studio's indie culture, Microsoft largely allowed Mojang to operate with creative autonomy, focusing on expanding the Minecraft franchise.
Under Microsoft's ownership, Mojang continued to grow the Minecraft ecosystem. The studio was rebranded as Mojang Studios in May 2020. They launched successful spin-off titles such as the dungeon crawler Minecraft Dungeons in 2020 and the action-strategy game Minecraft Legends in 2023. Leadership saw changes, with Helen Chiang acceding to Xbox Game Studios in December 2023 and Åsa Bredin taking over as studio head, who was then succeeded by Kayleen Walters in February 2025.
As of 2026, Mojang Studios remains highly active. The studio has shifted to a more frequent 'game drop' update schedule for the main Minecraft game, moving away from annual major updates. Recent updates include 'Tiny Takeover' released in March 2026, with 'Chaos Cubed' and new multiplayer 'Parties' features announced for later in the year. Mojang Studios also released 'Minecraft Dungeons II' in 2026, continuing the spin-off series. Beyond games, the studio is collaborating with Merlin Entertainments to design a 'Minecraft World' theme park, set to open in 2027. In a significant organizational change in July 2026, Mojang Studios began reporting directly to Asha Sharma within the broader Xbox division, streamlining its integration into Microsoft's gaming strategy. The company's workforce has steadily grown, reaching approximately 1,262 employees worldwide as of March 2026.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Mojang Studios made different choices?