Microsoft is so out of touch with reality. They don’t get why Minecraft is popular, they just know that it is. Let me tell you why its popular and you will understand why Microsoft will never win this fight.

#1 it ran on the cheapest computers, meaning it was easy to run

#2 it was cheap, meaning you have to sell a lot to make anything

#3 It was a game that ran well on Linux, which is NOT Windows, from the very beginning. Linux enthusiasts naturally supported it.

#4 YouTube and the lack of control that the devs put over the game, leaving people to do whatever they felt like.

#5 Privatized servers putting more control in the users hands.

#6 Modding, and letting your users see your source code, which means trusting the public at large.

This last one is a doozie, because it means that piracy ran rampant. You could pirate the game easily. You could run your own server, free of charge whether you bought the game or not, and play with your friends. You could view the source code and mod it until your heart’s content. Money really did NOT matter to the devs and they only charged for it to make SOME money so they could fund other projects, pay their bills, etc… It became popular and the money began rolling in. It was never meant to get this big. If you look at Minecraft vs other games, and Linux vs Windows you will see the same user numbers.

If Microsoft cared at all, they would open source Windows, and drop it like a bad habit, and let Linux win, but releasing their code and services on Linux exclusively. Instead they throw a few bones expecting us to roll over and take whatever they give us. No. Minecraft, while the name is owned by Microsoft, is owned by the people.