Notch, whose real name is Markus Persson, is a Swedish video game designer and programmer best known for creating the popular sandbox game Minecraft. Released in 2011, Minecraft allows players to build and explore virtual worlds made up of blocks, fostering creativity and collaboration among its users. In 2014, Notch sold his company, Mojang, which developed Minecraft, to Microsoft for $2.5 billion. Following the sale, he stepped away from game development and has since focused on personal projects and philanthropy, while remaining a prominent figure in the gaming community.