Xbox Game Studios
| Xbox Game Studios
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| legal form | Department |
| founding | March 2000 |
| Seat |
Redmond , Washington United States |
| management | Matt Booty |
| Branch | Software development |
| Website | xbox.com |
Xbox Game Studios is a division of the American software group Microsoft , which is responsible for the development and publication of computer games for the Windows operating system and the in-house game consoles of the Xbox brand . The section acts as a computer game publisher . Earlier names of the division were Microsoft Games (2000-2001), Microsoft Game Studios (2001-2011) and Microsoft Studios (2011-2019). Xbox Game Studios publish video games from various developer studios belonging to Microsoft such as Mojang , Rare , Ninja Theory , inXile Entertainment or Obsidian Entertainment , but also publish video games from independent developer studios.
history
Microsoft Game Studios was founded by Ed Fries .
The newly founded Microsoft Game Studios took over many video game developers such as Bungie in 2000 in order to have a greater say in game development for their first console at the time, the Xbox . The takeover also changed the development of Halo: Fight for the Future to Microsoft. On September 22nd, 2002 Microsoft also took over the developer Rare for 375 million US dollars.
An announcement on April 6, 2006 brought the news that Microsoft had acquired Lionhead Studios to expand its range of exclusive titles for Xbox 360 .
In May 2006, Microsoft Game Studios also took over the in-game advertising company Massive Inc to generate additional revenue from its two platforms, the PC and the Xbox 360.
On May 4, 2007 Microsoft announced that it would be opening a European location for Microsoft Game Studios in Reading , United Kingdom .
In 2011, Microsoft Game Studios was renamed Microsoft Studios .
In 2019, Microsoft Studios was renamed Xbox Game Studios .
In September 2014, Microsoft took over the Swedish company Mojang , manufacturer of the computer game Minecraft , for 2.5 billion US dollars. Mojang was integrated into the Microsoft Studios division.
On June 10, 2018, during E3 2018, the acquisition of Compulsion Games , Ninja Theory , Playground Games and Undead Labs was announced. In addition, a new studio called The Initiative was founded. During the Xbox Inside livestream for X018 in November 2018, it was announced that the development studios inXile Entertainment and Obsidian Entertainment will in future be part of Microsoft Studios, but will continue to operate independently. At the E3 2019 event, it was announced that the developer studio Double Fine Productions had been taken over. Age of Empires has been its own studio and part of Xbox Game Studios since the beginning of this year. Age of Empires Studio is now called World's Edge. This was announced at the X019 event.
Studios
Active studios
| Studio name | founding | Accepted | Enw. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 343 Industries | 2007 | - | |
| Compulsion Games | 2009 | Was acquired in 2018 | |
| Double Fine Productions | 2000 | Acquired in 2019 | |
| inXile Entertainment | 2002 | Was acquired in 2018 | |
| Mojang Studios | 2010 | Was acquired in 2014 | |
| Ninja Theory | 2000 | Was acquired in 2018 | |
| Obsidian Entertainment | 2003 | Was acquired in 2018 | |
| Playground Games | 2010 | Was acquired in 2018 | |
| Rare | 1985 | Acquired in 2002 | |
| The Coalition | 2010 | - | |
| The Initiative | 2018 | - | |
| Turn 10 studios | 2001 | - | |
| Undead Labs | 2009 | Was acquired in 2018 | |
| World's Edge | 2019 | - | |
| Xbox Game Studios Publishing | - | - |
Former studios
- Access Software ( Sold to Take 2 in October 2004 )
- Aces Game Studio (Closed)
- BigPark (closed in March 2016)
- Bungie (became independent again on October 1, 2007)
- Carbonated Games (Closed)
- Digital Anvil (Closed January 31, 2006)
- Ensemble Studios (closed in spring 2009)
- FASA Studio (Closed September 12, 2007)
- Function Studios (closed in March 2016)
- Good Science Studio (Closed March 2016)
- Leap Experience Pioneers (Closed March 2016)
- Lift London (Removed from Microsoft's gaming division)
- Lionhead Studios (Closed February 7, 2016)
- Microsoft Studios Victoria (Closed)
- Press Play (Closed in 2016)
- Soho Productions (Closed)
- State of the Art (Closed in March 2016)
- Team Dakota (Closed)
- Twisted Pixel Games (Became independent again on September 30, 2015)
- Xbox Entertainment Studios (Closed October 29, 2014)
Publications (selection)
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (1982-2020)
- Midtown Madness (1999)
- Starlancer (2000)
- Microsoft Train Simulator (2001)
- Freelancer (2003)
- Zoo Tycoon 2 (November 2004)
- Conker: Live & Reloaded (2004)
- Perfect Dark Zero (2005)
- Rise of Nations (2005)
- Halo series (since 2001)
- Lips (2008)
- Minecraft (2009)
- Forza Motorsport 1-7 (2005-2017)
- Forza Horizon 1-4 (2012-2018)
- Limbo (2010)
- Kinect Sports (2010)
- Alan Wake (2010)
- Fable 1–3 Fable Heros, Fable Anniversary and Fable Legends (2004–2014)
- Orcs Must Die! 1-2 (2011-2012)
- Age of Empires Online (2011)
- Dust: An Elysian Tail (2012)
- Ryse: Son of Rome (2013)
- State of Decay (2013)
- Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (2015)
- Quantum Break (2016)
- Gears of War 4 (2016)
- State of Decay 2 (2018)
- Sea of Thieves (2018)
- Minecraft Earth (2019)
- Crackdown 3 (2019)
- Gears 5 (2019)
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps (2020)
- Bleeding Edge (2020)
- Minecraft Dungeons (2020)
- Gears Tactics (2020)
literature
- Microsoft Game Studios In: Winnie Forster : Lexicon of computer and video game makers. First edition, p. 210. ISBN 978-3-00-021584-1 .
Web links
- Official website
- Xbox Game Studios at MobyGames (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Craig Chapple, Senior Editor: Animoca Brands brings in Xbox co-founder Ed Fries as strategic advisor. Retrieved September 23, 2019 .
- ↑ https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=24271604&privcapId=49443931
- ↑ David Becker: Microsoft makes Rare buyout official. Retrieved September 24, 2019 .
- ↑ Microsoft Studios Is Now Xbox Game Studios - IGN. Retrieved September 24, 2019 .
- ↑ Report on de.reuters.com, accessed on September 23, 2019
- ↑ Daniel Herbig: More Xbox exclusives: Microsoft buys four studios, including Hellblade developers. In: Heise online . June 11, 2018, accessed September 10, 2018 .
- ^ Matt Booty: Obsidian and inXile Join Microsoft Studios. In: Xbox Wire. November 10, 2018, accessed November 11, 2018 .
- ^ Matt Booty: Double Fine Productions Joins Xbox Game Studios. In: Xbox Wire. June 9, 2019, accessed November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Emma Bridle: X019 Announcement Recap. In: Age of Empires. November 14, 2019, accessed November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ a b c d e Christopher Grant: Microsoft has five (!) New internal studios. In: polygon. June 10, 2018, accessed November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Adam Hurst Bank: Double Fine Productions Has Joined Xbox Game Studios - E3 2019. In: IGN. June 9, 2019, accessed November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Kevin Murnane: Premier RPG Developers in Xile And Obsidian Acquired By Xbox. In: Forbes. November 12, 2018, accessed November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Samit Sarkar: Microsoft officially owns Minecraft and developer Mojang now. In: polygon. November 6, 2014, accessed November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Aaron Bouldling: Microsoft Buys Rare. In: IGN. September 24, 2002, accessed November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Emma Bridle: X019 Announcement Recap. In: Age of Empires. November 14, 2019, accessed November 19, 2019 .