Minecraft creator Markus Persson paid $70 million for a Beverly Hills mansion in 2014, beating Beyoncé and Jay-Z; 12 years later, he is asking the same price for the 22,300-square-foot estate

Markus ‘Notch’ Persson, the Swedish gaming mogul who created Minecraft, has put his Beverly Hills mansion on the market. The billionaire is asking exactly what he paid 12 years ago: $70 million for the estate, according to the Wall Street Journal. He bought the trophy estate in 2014 after outbidding Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

Inside the $70 million Beverly Hills mega-mansion

Pic credit: Redfin

The property is located at the top of Hillcrest Road in Trousdale Estates, a street the listing describes as “Beverly Hills’ Billionaires’ Row”. The mansion spans roughly 22,300 square feet on grounds of nearly an acre, with sweeping panoramic views from Downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean. The eight-bedroom, 15-bathroom house is spread across two levels connected by a private elevator. The primary suite comes with its own private pool. “The primary suite is a retreat of its own, with city-light views from the bed and a private pool overlooking the Los Angeles basin,” the listing on Redfin says.

Pi c credit: Refin

The biggest change to the house since 2014 is the entertainment space. Persson added a professional recording studio with a separate drum room, plus a private nightclub with a DJ booth, dance floor, bar, custom lighting and a club-grade sound system. The house also includes a dedicated on-site security office, staff quarters, renovated lower-level bathrooms and a wine cellar. The house can be sold furnished or unfurnished, the listing says: “Meticulously maintained throughout and available furnished or unfurnished.”The listing calls the sale “a rare opportunity to own a landmark residence at one of Beverly Hills’ most celebrated addresses”.

Why is he selling the mansion?

Pic credit: Redfin

Back in 2014, the market was running hot. Persson purchased the mansion from developer Bruce Makowsky, known for outfitting his properties with lavish amenities. The sale closed in just six days, the listing agents told Forbes at the time. Persson quickly decided he wanted a home, paid in cash and bought it.

Pic credit: Redfin

Persson reportedly beat out Jay-Z and Beyoncé, who toured the house several times. The house had initially been listed for $85 million. Persson bought it at a discount of $15 million, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Pic credit: Redfin

So why is Persson now selling his mansion? He “is not in LA a whole lot these days” and “is committed to selling”, Aaron Kirman of Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California, one of the listing agents, told the newspaper. Persson, the Swedish billionaire, is among the growing number of wealthy Californians looking to leave the state.

Pic credit: Redfin

If it sells at this asking price, Persson’s mansion will be the priciest sale in Beverly Hills this year and the second-priciest in Los Angeles County. The top spot belongs to a Bel-Air estate that former PayPal chief executive Peter Thiel bought for $130 million at a foreclosure auction in September.

Pic credit: Redfin

Meanwhile, Persson, known online as “Notch”, founded Mojang Studios in 2009. The company released Minecraft two years later. In 2014, he sold Mojang to Microsoft for $2.5 billion, the same year he bought the mansion. The game has since become one of the best-selling video games of all time. That success is perhaps one reason a $70 million house felt like a small purchase in 2014. The all-cash deal certainly hints at that. The house has not changed much in 12 years, but the market around it has. The question is who is willing to spend $70 million on this mega-mansion. Perhaps someone interested in having a nightclub and a candy room.