In September 2014, when the wildly popular computer game Minecraft sold to Microsoft for $2.5 billion dollars, the company’s founder, Markus “Notch” Persson, said that he was sick of being a symbol, and looking forward to shedding the pressure of leading something so enormous. By all accounts, the months since have been filled with expensive houses and parties.
But Persson also seems to be experiencing the tough side of a life of wealthy leisure. His life after Minecraft has proven extremely isolating, according to a revealing series of tweets Saturday.
It’s another reminder that money can’t buy happiness:
Persson finished on a somewhat more hopeful note:
Persson’s admissions inspired responses from well wishers, including, notably, Snoop Dogg:
And some offered advice on how to overcome his ennui:
Tiring of partying with celebrities in Ibiza is not a super relatable problem for most, and it’s easy to dismiss these concerns as a rich guy whining about problems most people would be thrilled to have. But Persson’s predicament can also be taken as a reminder of how important it is to have purpose, direction, and people around that care about you.
Lest you worry too much for Persson, he offered this reassurance today: