Markus “Notch” Persson, the creator of Minecraft, is selling his Beverly Hills mansion that he bought back in 2014 for $70 million. At the time, Notch outbid Beyonce and Jay-Z for the home, and set a record for the highest price ever paid for a mansion in Beverly Hills.
He recently listed the home for the same price, despite the median Los Angeles home more than doubling in value over the past decade. Notch’s 22,300-square-foot estate, however, is definitely a high-end property, and the market for such homes has cooled in recent times, The Los Angeles Times said.
Persson sold Minecraft to Microsoft in 2014 for $2.5 billion–the sale made Persson a billionaire due to his 70% ownership stake. A polarizing and controversial figure in gaming criticized for his remarks about LGBTQ issues and feminism, Persson had his name removed from Minecraft projects. Microsoft said his “comments and opinions” do not reflect those of Microsoft or developer Mojang.
Listing agent Aaron Kirma said Notch is selling because he doesn’t spend much time in Los Angeles. Persson is also selling at a time when California’s government and its billionaires have clashed over a proposed one-time 5% wealth tax on billionaires in the state. This measure is on the ballot for the upcoming elections on November 3.
Notch’s home sits on about an acre in so-called “Billionaire’s Row,” featuring views of downtown Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean. It has eight bedrooms and 15 bathrooms, as well as an elevator, pool, wine room, and a home theater. You can see photos of the space on Zillow.