NEW YORK (AFP) ― Microsoft agreed Monday to buy the Swedish group behind the hugely popular video game “Minecraft” for $2.5 billion, bolstering the increasingly important gaming division of the U.S. tech giant.

The deal for Swedish-based Mojang gives Microsoft one of the best-known video games of all time ― one which is played on game consoles as well as PCs and mobile devices.

Mojang will be merged into Microsoft Studios, which includes the studios behind global franchises including “Halo.”

“Gaming is a top activity spanning devices, from PCs and consoles to tablets and mobile, with billions of hours spent each year,” said Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella, announcing the deal.

“‘Minecraft’ is more than a great game franchise ― it is an open world platform, driven by a vibrant community we care deeply about, and rich with new opportunities for that community and for Microsoft.”

“Minecraft” is often described as digital Lego. Players try to survive in a hostile world populated by monsters while building tools and buildings and redesigning the environment as they progress.

Despite less sophisticated graphics than many successful competitors, the game has succeeded in winning over children and more seasoned gamers.

Since its launch in 2009, “Minecraft” has been downloaded some 100 million times on PCs, has been the most popular game on Microsoft’s Xbox and is the top paid app for both iOS and Android, according to Microsoft.

“The ’Minecraft’ community is among the most active and passionate in the industry, with more than two billion hours played on Xbox 360 alone in the past two years,” Microsoft said.

Microsoft plans to continue to make the game available across all the platforms on which it is available today: PC, iOS, Android, Xbox and PlayStation.