# Markus Persson

> Swedish video game programmer and founder of Mojang (born 1979)

**Wikidata**: [Q266224](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q266224)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markus_Persson)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/markus-persson

## Summary
Markus Persson is a Swedish video game programmer, designer, and founder of Mojang Studios, born in 1979. He is widely recognized as the creator of the globally popular video game Minecraft.

## Biography
*   Born: June 1, 1979, in Stockholm, Sweden
*   Nationality: Swedish
*   Known for: Minecraft
*   Employer(s): Founder of Mojang Studios
*   Field(s): Programmer, video game producer, designer, game programmer

## Contributions
Markus Persson's primary contribution to the video game industry is the creation of the sandbox video game Minecraft. He began development on Minecraft in 2009, leading to its initial release and subsequent global phenomenon. In 2009, he also founded Mojang Studios, the company responsible for Minecraft's development and publication. His work on Minecraft garnered significant recognition, including the British Academy Games Special Award, which he received on March 5, 2012. The cultural impact of Minecraft is further acknowledged by its inclusion in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Through Minecraft, Persson introduced a unique and influential gaming experience that fostered creativity and community, significantly shaping the landscape of modern video games.

## FAQs
### Q: Who is Markus Persson?
A: Markus Persson is a Swedish video game programmer and designer. He is best known as the founder of Mojang Studios and the creator of the highly successful video game Minecraft.

### Q: What is Markus Persson most famous for?
A: Markus Persson is most famous for creating the critically acclaimed and commercially successful video game Minecraft. He also founded Mojang Studios, the company that developed and published the game.

### Q: What company did Markus Persson found?
A: Markus Persson founded Mojang Studios in 2009. This Swedish video game developer is primarily known for creating and developing the game Minecraft.

### Q: Has Markus Persson received any notable awards?
A: Yes, Markus Persson received the British Academy Games Special Award on March 5, 2012, in recognition of his significant contributions to the video game industry, particularly for his work on Minecraft.

## Why They Matter
Markus Persson matters immensely due to his creation of Minecraft, a game that revolutionized the video game industry and left a lasting cultural impact. Minecraft's open-ended gameplay and emphasis on creativity inspired millions of players worldwide, fostering a new generation of digital builders and content creators. His founding of Mojang Studios in 2009 provided the platform for Minecraft's development and global success, establishing a prominent Swedish video game developer. Without Persson's vision and programming expertise, the landscape of independent game development and the sandbox genre would be vastly different. His work is recognized for its artistic and cultural significance, with Minecraft being included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, underscoring its importance beyond mere entertainment.

## Notable For
*   Creator of the globally successful video game Minecraft.
*   Founder of the Swedish video game developer Mojang Studios.
*   Recipient of the British Academy Games Special Award in 2012.
*   His work, Minecraft, is part of the Museum of Modern Art's collection.

## Body

### Personal Details
*   **Full Name:** Markus Alexej Persson
*   **Aliases/Pseudonyms:** Notch, xNotch, Nizzotch, Markus Alexei, マルクス・アレクセイ・パーション, マーカス・アレクセイ・パーソン, ノッチ, 马库斯·阿列克谢·佩尔松, Нотч
*   **Born:** June 1, 1979, in Stockholm, Sweden
*   **Citizenship:** Swedish
*   **Residence:** Beverly Hills (from 2014)
*   **Spouse:** Married Elin Zetterstrand in 2011.
*   **Sex/Gender:** Male
*   **Languages Spoken/Written:** Swedish, English
*   **Religion/Worldview:** Mahāyāna
*   **Political Affiliation:** Member of the Pirate Party

### Career and Achievements
*   **Occupations:** Programmer, video game producer, designer, game programmer
*   **Field of Work:** Game programmer
*   **Start of Work Period:** 2009
*   **Company Founded:** Mojang Studios (founded in 2009)
*   **Notable Work:** Minecraft
*   **Awards Received:** British Academy Games Special Award (March 5, 2012)
*   **Works in Collections:** Museum of Modern Art

### Online Presence
*   **Twitter:** @notch (active from August 6, 2009, to August 28, 2020)
*   **Facebook:** xNotch
*   **Reddit:** xNotch
*   **Tumblr:** notch
*   **Mastodon:** notch@mastodon.gamedev.place (from June 1, 2022)
*   **Steam Profile ID:** 76561197968493120 (private Steam account, displayed as "Notch")

## References

1. Museum of Modern Art online collection
2. [Source](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/realestate/for-sale-multimillion-dollar-homes-fully-furnished.html)
3. [Source](http://guru.bafta.org/gurus-a-z/markus-persson)
4. [Source](http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/powerhouse-brings-video-gaming-past-to-life-in-game-masters-arcade-of-dreams/story-fni0cvc9-1226783048725)
5. [Minecraft Mastermind Markus Persson to Receive BAFTA Special Award](https://www.bafta.org/media-centre/press-releases/minecraft-mastermind-markus-persson-to-receive-bafta-special-award/)
6. MusicBrainz
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. Norwegian Authority File: Persons and Corporate Bodies
9. BBC Things
10. [Markus Persson | Minecraft Wiki | Fandom](https://minecraft-archive.fandom.com/wiki/Markus_Persson)
11. [Source](http://www.moma.org/collection/works/169919)
12. [Notch - RationalWiki](https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Notch)
13. [Source](https://www.philamuseum.org/collections/results.html?searchTxt=&bSuggest=1&searchNameID=61763)
14. The Movie Database
15. Know Your Meme