Markus Persson, also known as “Notch,” is a Swedish video game programmer and designer. He was born on June 1, 1979, in Stockholm, Sweden.
Notch started programming at an early age and was interested in video games from a young age. He began creating his own video games in his early teens and started programming professionally in 2005, working for Jalbum, a photo album software company.
However, Notch’s true claim to fame came with the development of the massively popular video game Minecraft. Notch began working on Minecraft in 2009 and released an early version of the game that same year. The game quickly gained a cult following, and Notch eventually founded his own video game development company, Mojang AB, to continue working on the game.
Minecraft went on to become one of the most successful video games of all time, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide as of 2021. Notch sold Mojang AB, including the rights to Minecraft, to Microsoft in 2014 for $2.5 billion. Notch’s personal net worth after the sale was estimated to be around $1.5 billion.
Since the sale of Mojang AB, Notch has largely stayed out of the public eye. He has been involved in various philanthropic projects, including donating $250,000 to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and $250,000 to the EFF and MAPS, a psychedelic research organization.
Notch’s wealth has allowed him to live a life of luxury, with multiple high-end properties and a collection of expensive cars. However, he has also faced criticism for some of his public statements and actions, which have been seen as controversial or offensive by some.
Overall, Markus Persson’s story is a testament to the power of creativity and entrepreneurship. Through his work on Minecraft, he created something that has brought joy and entertainment to millions of people around the world, while also amassing a substantial fortune.
Here is a timeline of Markus Persson’s life and career:
- 1979: Markus Persson is born on June 1st in Stockholm, Sweden.
- 2005: Persson starts working as a programmer for Jalbum, a photo album software company.
- 2009: Persson starts working on Minecraft, an indie sandbox video game that quickly gains a cult following.
- 2010: The first official version of Minecraft is released to the public.
- 2011: Minecraft becomes one of the best-selling video games of all time with over 20 million copies sold.
- 2012: Persson founds his own video game development company, Mojang AB, to continue working on Minecraft.
- 2014: Microsoft acquires Mojang AB, including the rights to Minecraft, for $2.5 billion. Persson’s net worth is estimated at $1.5 billion after the sale.
- 2017: Persson faces backlash on Twitter after making controversial comments about women and gender politics.
- 2019: Persson sells his Beverly Hills mansion for $16.5 million after owning it for just over two years.
- 2020: Persson donates $250,000 to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and $250,000 to MAPS, a psychedelic research organization.
- 2021: Minecraft reaches over 200 million copies sold worldwide, and Persson remains largely out of the public eye.
5 Interesting Facts about Markus Persson:
- Markus Persson created the original version of Minecraft in just six days.
- Persson has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, which he has spoken openly about in interviews.
- Before Minecraft, Persson had created several other games, including Wurm Online and Scrolls.
- Persson is known for his love of expensive cars and has owned several high-end vehicles, including a McLaren F1 and a Ferrari 458.
- In 2018, Persson purchased the most expensive house in Beverly Hills for $70 million, but sold it just two years later.
5 Quotes from Markus Persson:
- “I have no problem with spending my money. It’s just that my values aren’t in physical things.”
- “If you’re passionate enough about what you’re doing, you’ll find a way to make it work.”
- “I don’t think I’m particularly special. I just kept going, and I think that’s something that anyone can do.”
- “I’m not going to lie, being rich is pretty amazing. But it’s not something that changes you as a person, at least not in a good way.”
- “If you have a dream, you should follow it, no matter how crazy it might seem.”
