Minecraft: The Unlikely Tale of Markus "Notch" Persson and the Game That Changed Everything

Freelance Swedish journalists Goldberg and Larsson, here translated by Hawkins, shine a spotlight on Markus Persson (b. 1979), creator of the cult video game smash Minecraft. Among Persson's early obsessions were building things out of LEGO pieces and programming simple games on his family's Commodore 128. As his family struggled—his father and sister battled drug addiction and his parents divorced—Persson grew more engrossed in the world of computers. But it wasn't until he worked as a programmer in a for-profit environment that he felt inspired to combine his childhood passions and create Minecraft. Goldberg and Larsson explain how Persson's online persona, "Notch," encouraged players to contribute to the game before he completed it and made them feel invested in its quality, circumstances enabling its overnight success. The authors also cover the ensuing launch of Persson's video game company, Mojang. The heart of the book, however, is Persson's compelling personal story and his adherence to his personal philosophy before, during, and after his game's phenomenal success (it has sold millions of copies).