With Minecraft, Markus Persson became a deity to millions in his virtual world. Then he abruptly took $2.5 billion and walked away. Here, he offers a look inside his life after the deal of the year. | Forbes

$2.5B sounds like the dream exit. But for Markus “Notch” Persson, the creator of Minecraft, the payday didn’t set him free. It erased him. Here’s the part nobody talks about: He didn’t just build the game. He became the game. And when he sold it… he lost himself. The real villain? Founder Dependency. When your identity is your business, an exit doesn’t buy freedom — it creates a vacuum. Here’s how it unfolded: * 2009: builds Minecraft alone, for fun * No marketing, no strategy — just passion * B