Virtual Revenue
For Microsoft, Minecraft has been a huge success. Since acquiring the game, it has sold more than 121 million copies around the globe, according to Bloomberg, and counts 55 million unique monthly players. Bloomberg cited data provided by Microsoft for the Minecraft figures. The marketplace is aimed at the mobile and tablet markets and as a result won’t be found on Microsoft’s Xbox One or Sony PlayStation’s game consoles. It will only be available on Windows, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR virtual reality platforms and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Microsoft will share in the revenue from the Minecraft marketplace, giving creators 50% of the sales. Thorton told Bloomberg the creators are happy the revenue will be split 50/50. In order to purchase the feature packs, users will have to use the virtual currency, which can be purchased with an device that has an app store whether its Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android or Microsoft’s Windows.
The move to launch a marketplace in which users have to make in-app purchases was made popular last summer by the popular Pokémon Go augmented reality game. Pokémon Go is free to download but requires users to make in-app purchases, which generated close to $1 billion in revenue last year, says Bloomberg.
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