Games firm breaks record with sales of 1.2 million

A TINY games firm based in an East Lothian village has smashed the Xbox sales record.

4J Studios, from a base in East Linton, sold 400,000 copies of its game Minecraft in 24 hours, and has passed 1.2 million sales within a week of release.

The developers worked on the Xbox Live version of the game, which has been sold online for around £14.

Minecraft involves mining for different materials in a computer-generated world, and creating buildings and structures by “crafting” the materials together.

Though 4J Studio has an office in Dundee, chief technology officer Paddy Burns, 43, converted an old shop into a studio in East Linton to avoid a lengthy commute.

Mr Burns, who works with three other developers in the studio, said: “I’ve never publicised the fact that 4J has a studio in East Linton so everyone seems to assume that 4J only exists in Dundee.

“In terms of activity we’re up there with [popular game] Call of Duty.

“With the sales figures for the week we’re past 1.2 million sales – another record. It’s amazing.”