Microsoft Studios (game studio)

Microsoft Studios

Microsoft Studios logo
Type	Division of Microsoft
Industry	Interactive entertainment Computer and video games
Founded	2002
Headquarters	Redmond, Washington, U.S.
Key people	Phil Spencer (Corporate Vice President)
Products	Xbox Xbox 360 Games for Windows Windows Phone Xbox Live Kinect for Xbox 360
Parent	Microsoft
Website	Official website

Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before being re-branded in 2011. Microsoft Studios develops and publishes games in conjunction with first and third party development studios under their publishing label.

History

2002

• Microsoft Studios acquire Rare Ltd. from Nintendo and the Stamper brothers (Chris and Tim), who owned 49% and 51% of the company respectively. The buyout is believed to be one of the most expensive purchases of a video game development studio ever, at a cost of around US$375 million.^[1] As a result of the buyout, Microsoft Studios also acquire the rights to Rare's original IPs, including the Banjo-Kazooie, Conker and Perfect Dark franchises.

2006

• Microsoft Studios announce that they have purchased Lionhead Studios, known for developing critically acclaimed titles such as Black & White and Fable.^[2]
• Microsoft Studios acquire Massive Incorporated, an in-game advertising company to provide additional revenues from their gaming platforms.^[3]

2007

• Microsoft Studios announce the opening of a European office in Reading, England, headed by General manager Phil Spencer.^[4]
• Microsoft Studios disbands FASA Studio, best known for their work on the MechWarrior series.
• Halo developers Bungie announce that they would split from Microsoft Studios in order become a privately held independent company.

2008

• Microsoft Studios disband casual games studio Carbonated Games.
• Microsoft Studios announce the formation of Xbox Live Productions to develop "high-quality digital content" for Xbox Live Arcade.^[5]

2009

• Microsoft Studios announce the closure of both Ensemble Studios and Aces Studio, due to the effects of the late-2000s financial crisis and the restructuring of their game development studios.
• Phil Spencer is promoted to Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Studios in order to replace the retiring Shane Kim.^[6]
• Microsoft Studios form Good Science Studio to develop software for Kinect.

2010

• Microsoft Studios form a Mobile Gaming studio focused on developing gaming and entertainment multimedia for Windows Phone.^[7]

2011

• Microsoft Studios open new development studios in London, Redmond and Vancouver.^[8][9][10]
• Microsoft Studios acquire indie game developer Twisted Pixel Games, known for developing titles including 'Splosion Man and The Gunstringer.^[11][12]

Software Development Studios

First Party	Third Party	Former/Defunct
BigPark - Kinect Joy Ride Good Science Studio - Kinect Adventures Lionhead Studios - Fable series, Black & White series MGS Family - Untitled Project Soho Productions - MGS Mobile Gaming - ilomilo MGS Vancouver - Untitled Project Rare Ltd. - Kinect Sports, Banjo-Kazooie series, Viva Piñata, Perfect Dark series Turn 10 Studios - Forza Motorsport series Twisted Pixel Games - The Gunstringer, 'Splosion Man, Ms. Splosion Man, The Maw, Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley Xbox Live Productions - South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play! 343 Industries - Halo series	Certain Affinity - Crimson Alliance, Halo Anniversary Climax Group - Sudeki, Bloodforge Crytek - Ryse Double Fine - Iron Brigade, Happy Action Theater Epic Games - Gears of War series Frontier Developments - Kinectimals, Kinect Disneyland Adventures Ftoni Studios - Untitled Project Gas Powered Games - Age of Empires Online Grasshopper Manufacture - Diabolical Pitch Grounding Inc. - Project Draco Luma Arcade - The Harvest Mistwalker - Lost Odyssey NanaOn-Sha - Haunt Q Entertainment - Ninety-Nine Nights series Remedy Entertainment - Alan Wake Robot Entertainment - Orcs Must Die! Ruffian Games - Crackdown series Sarbakan - Lazy Raiders Signal Studios - Toy Soldiers Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab - CarneyVale: Showtime Ska Studios - The Dishwasher series SouthEnd Interactive - Lode Runner 2009, ilomilo Undead Labs - Untitled Xbox Live Arcade Project	Aces Studio - Microsoft Flight Simulator series Artoon - Blinx series , Blue Dragon Beep Industries - Voodoo Vince BioWare - Mass Effect Bizarre Creations - Project Gotham Racing series Bungie - Halo series Carbonated Games - Hexic series Digital Anvil - Brute Force, Freelancer Ensemble Studios - Age of Empires series FASA Studio - MechWarrior series feelplus - Lost Odyssey Fuel Industries - Tinker Hired Gun - Halo 2 for Windows Vista Indie Built - Amped series Ninja Theory - Kung Fu Chaos Turbine - Asheron's Call

Owned franchises and properties

Aegis Wing Age of Empires Age of Mythology Azurik Banjo-Kazooie BattleTech Black & White Blinx Bloodforge Blood Wake Blue Dragon Brute Force Combat Flight Simulator WWII Europe Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley Conker Crackdown Crimson Alliance Crimson Skies Fable Forza Motorsport Freelancer Fusion Genesis Fuzion Frenzy Game Chest Series

Grabbed by the Ghoulies Halo Hexic ilomilo Infinite Undiscovery It's Mr. Pants Jawbreaker Jetpac Joy Ride Kakuto Chojin Kameo Killer Instinct Kinect branded games Kodu Kung Fu Chaos Lips Lost Odyssey Magatama Maximum Chase MechAssault MechCommander MechWarrior

Microsoft Flight Simulator Microsoft Train Simulator Microsoft Space Simulator Midtown Madness Monster Truck Madness Motocross Madness Ms. Splosion Man Nightcaster Ninety-Nine Nights N.U.D.E.@Natural Ultimate Digital Experiment Perfect Dark Phantom Dust Project Gotham Racing Quantum Redshift Rallisport Challenge Rise of Nations Shadowrun Sneakers 'Splosion Man Starlancer Sudeki Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus

The Gunstringer The Harvest The Maw The Movies Tork: Prehistoric Punk Toy Soldiers Trenched True Fantasy Live Online Viva Piñata Voodoo Vince Whacked! XNA Zoo Tycoon

See also

• List of video games published by Microsoft Studios
• List of video games published by Nintendo
• List of video games published by Sony Computer Entertainment

References

1. ^ "Microsoft Acquires Video Game Powerhouse Rare Ltd.: Developers of Such Worldwide Hits as "Donkey Kong 64," "Banjo-Kazooie," "GoldenEye 007" And "Perfect Dark" Bring Their Tale...". Microsoft News Centre. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/sep02/09-24projectrpr.mspx. 
2. ^ "Microsoft Game Studios Acquires Video Game Luminary Peter Molyneux’s Lionhead Studios: Lionhead’s hit franchise “Fable” surpasses 2 million unit sales milestone". Microsoft News Center. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/apr06/04-06LionheadPR.mspx. 
3. ^ "Microsoft to Acquire In-Game Advertising Pioneer Massive Inc.: Massive’s technology for weaving dynamic, relevant ads into video games will extend next-generation advertising ...". Microsoft News Center. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/may06/05-04MassiveIncPR.mspx. 
4. ^ David Jenkins. "New Microsoft Game Studios Office For Europe". Gamasutra. http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13795. 
5. ^ Joe Keiser (2008-05-22). "Exclusive Interview: MS to Delist XBLA Titles". Next-Gen.biz. http://www.next-gen.biz/features/exclusive-interview-ms-delist-xbla-titles. Retrieved 2008-05-22. 
6. ^ Tor Thorsen. "Microsoft's Phil Spencer promoted, Shane Kim retiring". cnet. http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10353345-75.html. 
7. ^ Rob Crossley. "MGS turns to mobile games". MCV. http://www.mcvuk.com/news/40400/MGS-turns-to-mobile-games. 
8. ^ Clemens Timmermans. "First party Kinect core games by MGS Vancouver". 123KINECT. http://123kinect.com/scoop-first-party-kinect-core-games-by-mgs-vancouver/14561/. 
9. ^ "Job positions for Soho Studio". http://www.microsoft-careers.com/key/microsoft-game-studios-soho-jobs.html. 
10. ^ "Microsoft opens new studio for Kinect". http://123kinect.com/xbox-360-kinect-experimental-studio/15848/. 
11. ^ http://majornelson.com/2011/10/12/welcome-twisted-pixel-to-microsoft-studios/
12. ^ http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/microsoft-buys-indie-developer-twisted-pixel/

External links

• Official website
• Microsoft's Official Xbox website