Minecraft creator Markus 'Notch' Persson is taking a step back from the world-building sim that made him famous. Today, the indie gaming icon announced he is handing the Minecraft keys to Mojang Studios developer Jens Bergensten, while he takes a much needed breather before diving into “some new project”.
Although Notch will no longer head the project officially, he said he will continue to have the final say in all Minecraft decisions, and will remain available to assist where needed, noting, “Personally, I will now rest for a while, then get back to work refreshed and eager. I’ll be helping out with Minecraft, of course, but also starting work on some new project.”
Speaking to Bergensten's appointment, Notch explained “We’ve been working together on Minecraft for a year now, and I’m amazed at how much in synch we two are when it comes to how to design the game. And when we don’t agree, we discuss it and something much better comes out at a result. He’s truly a great person to work with, and I feel very confident handing over the leadership of Minecraft to him.”
Notch did not say what his 'new project' entails, but odds are he's using the term generically. As for Bergensten's future, now that Minecraft is officially released, it's likely the new gig will come with a lot of overtime.
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