The legend behind the inscrutably brilliant Minecraft is emboldening: Markus “Notch” Persson set out alone to build a world according to a compelling vision. What he delivered was an astoundingly stable alpha build of a first-person perspective survival sandbox the size of earth, pregnant with treasure and monsters. It can get under your skin, seeping even into dreams. Its success brought in enough capital for Notch to staff his company, Mojang Specifications, and quit his full time job.
That legend continues, as Minecraft graduates from alpha to beta and the game evolves. The cavernous depths now extend into Hell. Teleportation affords the luxory of travel to distant undiscovered mines. Pigs can be fit with a saddle to be ridden like a tiny pink mule. Fortunately, 2 Player Productions, having wrapped up the first season of Penny Arcade: The Series, will be there to film the progress as Notch and his newly founded team develop the game and the company.