I think there was probably more evidence in favour of minecraft being a success. For example widespread popularity of lego and other various sandbox games.
Minecraft is also relatively simple to understand, pick up and place blocks. I assume that 0x10c will have a much steeper learning curve.
Though it was certainly a long shot that minecraft would be as popular as it is today, the question is whether lightning can strike twice?
I'm sure that 0x10c will still a profitable game but I doubt it will have sales numbers that approach minecraft's.
The cool thing is none of this was made for the profit or sales numbers. Notch makes games because he loves making games. In fact, it kinda seems like he's intentionally trying for a more obscure game, something to be niche with a strong community rather then wildly popular.
Ox10^c sounds like a game where Notch went "Ok, I have money and a fanbase which will pay attention if I make an obscure game, what game do I really want to play but wouldn't get approved in a million years by a publisher."
I've wanted a multiplayer game where I could script most of the day to day activity for about as long as I've played games. I think 0x10^c will be super popular.
I never got that analogy. Lightning will strike the same place over and over again[1], because that place has the least resistance for charge to flow between the clouds and the ground.
Minecraft is also relatively simple to understand, pick up and place blocks. I assume that 0x10c will have a much steeper learning curve.
Though it was certainly a long shot that minecraft would be as popular as it is today, the question is whether lightning can strike twice?
I'm sure that 0x10c will still a profitable game but I doubt it will have sales numbers that approach minecraft's.