We all remember that Microsoft paid 2.5 billion dollars to acquire Mojang, the company that created Minecraft. However, an educational version of Minecraft called MinecraftEdu was not included. Yesterday, Microsoft announced the acquisition of MinecraftEdu and its intention to merge both development lines under Minecraft: Education Edition.
From Mojang to Minecraft: Education Edition
The history goes back to September 2014, when Microsoft reached an agreement to acquire Mojang for a total of 2.5 billion dollars. Initial rumors placed the original amount 500 million below, but the feeling was that both Mojang and its intellectual property could be worth more. The entire operation received much publicity, although there was one detail left in the inkwell: Minecraft has an educational version, and it was not part of the package acquired by Microsoft. Another company, named TeacherGaming, obtained a license from Mojang and created MinecraftEdu. This variant was designed to cover especially the needs of teachers and students, and through it all kinds of subjects have been taught, including history and biology.
A Subscription Model for Schools
The potential is extraordinary. For years we have discussed and explored the mechanics of teaching through video games, and the passion that Minecraft generates among the youngest simply cannot be wasted. Apparently Microsoft recognized this and decided to acquire the license of MinecraftEdu to turn it into Minecraft: Education Edition. Unlike MinecraftEdu, which could be obtained with a fixed price calculated on the number of students, Microsoft plans to implement a subscription system that will cost five dollars per student per year.
Spokespeople for Microsoft confirmed that current MinecraftEdu users will be able to continue using that software without restrictions, and that they will also receive a free year of Minecraft: Education Edition. For now, Redmond will continue development and maintenance of MinecraftEdu, but everything makes us think that sooner or later it will be absorbed under the new platform. Changes in the Minecraft: Education Edition experience will be minimal, and in addition to using it at school, students will have the possibility to download a copy at home with the associated username.
