• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Scott Bessent dared the $32 trillion bond market with 'I am the house now' statement. It didn’t listen

2

Billionaire Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says most charities are 'net negative'—and that he has no plans to make his own foundation

3

This former Navy SEAL spent 5 years in private equity working 100-hour weeks before quitting and building a $9 billion startup

1

Scott Bessent dared the $32 trillion bond market with 'I am the house now' statement. It didn’t listen

2

Billionaire Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says most charities are 'net negative'—and that he has no plans to make his own foundation

3

This former Navy SEAL spent 5 years in private equity working 100-hour weeks before quitting and building a $9 billion startup
Minecraft

Microsoft to 5th-grader: We’ll make Minecraft better

Fortune Editors
By
Fortune Editors
Fortune Editors
Down Arrow Button Icon
Fortune Editors
By
Fortune Editors
Fortune Editors
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 19, 2014, 4:55 PM ET
Microsoft To Acquire Maker Of Popular Minecraft Game For 2.5 Billion
MIAMI, UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 15: An XBox 360 Minecraft game is seen at a GameStop store on Septemeber 15, 2014 in Miami, Florida. Microsoft today announced it will acquire video game maker Mojang and its popular Minecraft game for $2.5 billion. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)Photograph by Joe Raedle — Getty Images
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Young journalists can make a difference these days, it seems.

Last week we published a letter from a devoted Minecraft fan who voiced her concerns about the game (and the studio that developed it, Mojang) becoming a Microsoft (MSFT) property.

The Seattle software company doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to acquisition integrations (think aQuantive, for example), so it’s not surprising that a $2.5 billion deal for the developer of Minecraft has raised some concerns among the game’s most dedicated players.

This young fan —10-year-old Sabrina Lane, daughter of Fortune investigative writer and Senior Editor Jennifer Reingold — begged Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella not to “mess up” the game she and her friends love to play.

Someone at Microsoft was listening.

This week Sabrina received a letter from Xbox lead Phil Spencer assuring her that Microsoft won’t mess this one up — in fact, they’ll look for ways to make Minecraft better.

Here’s his letter in full.

September 15, 2014

Dear Sabrina,

I saw your letter to Satya last week and since we announced today that Microsoft is buying Minecraft, I wanted to send you a reply.

Thank you for taking the time to explain all the reasons you, your friends and even your parents love Minecraft. I liked your letter and I am really glad that you are a fan of the game. Minecraft is all the things you said it is – educational, creative and most of all, fun.

I am very lucky that my job lets me work with game creators from around the world. I get to play amazing games every day. I guess it is not surprising that I love Minecraft, too.

One of the best things for me is that I see so many people making great things in Minecraft. I have this dream that a bunch of new game creators are learning and building their very first “game” using Minecraft. It is really cool that you can create whatever you want – in the real world or using your imagination to make your own world. As a fan of the game, you know that the possibilities are endless. You never know, Sabrina, if you study hard and keep creating, you might create your own Minecraft one day!

I want you to know that we plan to keep all the things that people love about Minecraft the same. We will look for ways to make Minecraft better with more opportunities for players to play, connect and share together.

Keep the feedback coming and I hope you and your friends (maybe even Ruth) will love playing Minecraft for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Phil Spencer

Head of Xbox, @XboxP3

About the Author
Fortune Editors
By Fortune Editors
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.