Xbox Game Studios facts for kids
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Formerly
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| Division | |
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | Microsoft Games Group |
| Founded | March 2000 |
| Headquarters |
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US
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Alan Hartman (Head of Xbox Game Studios) |
| Products | See List of Xbox Game Studios video games |
| Parent | Microsoft Gaming |
| Subsidiaries | See § Studios |
Xbox Game Studios is a company that makes and publishes video games. It is based in Redmond, Washington, USA. The company started in March 2000. It was created to make games for Microsoft Windows computers. Over time, it grew to make games for Xbox consoles, mobile phones, and other game systems.
Xbox Game Studios is now part of a bigger group called Microsoft Gaming. This group also includes other big game companies like ZeniMax Media and Activision Blizzard. Phil Spencer is the boss of Microsoft Gaming.
Contents
How Xbox Game Studios Started and Grew
Early Days: Microsoft Games and Microsoft Game Studios (2000–2011)
In the early 1990s, Microsoft started publishing a few video games. They were known for computer software like MS-DOS and Windows. But they wanted to make more games. In 1992, they started focusing more on games. They released Microsoft Golf and hired more people for their games team.
Microsoft bought some game studios in 1999, like FASA Interactive and Access Software. They also made deals with other studios, such as Ensemble Studios, known for Age of Empires.
Around March 2000, Microsoft turned its games team into a separate company called Microsoft Games. This happened when they first announced the Xbox console. Microsoft Games would make games for both Xbox and Windows computers. In 2001, the company changed its name to Microsoft Game Studios (MGS).
One of the most important studios MGS bought was Bungie in June 2000. Bungie was making a game called Halo: Combat Evolved. After Microsoft bought them, Halo became a launch game for the Xbox in 2001. MGS also started Turn 10 Studios in 2001 to make the Forza racing games. In 2002, Microsoft Game Studios bought Rare, a famous studio that made games for Nintendo.
In 2006, MGS bought Lionhead Studios, known for the Fable series. This helped them make a Fable sequel for the new Xbox 360. Some studios were closed or merged during this time, like Digital Anvil and FASA Studio.
In 2007, Bungie decided to become an independent company again. But they still made two more Halo games for MGS. At the same time, MGS created 343 Industries to make future Halo games. In 2009, MGS bought BigPark to help make games for the Kinect sensor on the Xbox 360.
Microsoft Studios Era (2011–2019)
In June 2011, Microsoft Game Studios quietly changed its name to Microsoft Studios. They continued to buy new studios, like Twisted Pixel Games in 2011 and Press Play in 2012. They also started a new studio in London, England.
In 2013, Microsoft created Lift London, a studio that would make games for tablets, phones, and TVs.
Big Changes Under Satya Nadella
Satya Nadella became the CEO of Microsoft in 2014. At this time, the Xbox One console was more expensive than its rivals. Phil Spencer became the new head of Microsoft Studios. He wanted to make the studio more successful.
One of the biggest moves was buying Mojang in late 2014 for $2.5 billion. Mojang is the company that made Minecraft. Microsoft promised to keep Minecraft available on many different game systems, even those made by other companies. This purchase showed how Microsoft wanted to let studios work freely, which helped with future studio purchases.
Microsoft Studios also got the rights to the Gears of War series from Epic Games. They gave this series to their studio, Black Tusk Studios, which then changed its name to The Coalition in 2015.
In 2018, Microsoft Studios announced they were buying several new studios. These included Ninja Theory, Playground Games, Undead Labs, and Compulsion Games. They also opened a brand new studio called The Initiative. Later that year, they bought Obsidian Entertainment and inXile Entertainment.
Xbox Game Studios Today (2019–Present)
On February 5, 2019, the company changed its name again to Xbox Game Studios. This new name shows that Microsoft wants to use the Xbox brand for gaming on all its devices. At E3 2019, Xbox Game Studios announced they had bought Double Fine. They also started a new studio called World's Edge to oversee the Age of Empires games.
Xbox Game Studios now has many different studios. They decide if new games from these studios will be only for Xbox and Windows computers, or if they will also be released on other systems. For example, some games like Cuphead and Ori and the Blind Forest were released on Nintendo Switch.
In 2020, Microsoft announced a huge plan to buy ZeniMax Media for over $7.5 billion. ZeniMax owns many famous studios like Bethesda Game Studios (known for The Elder Scrolls and Fallout), Arkane Studios, and id Software. This purchase added a lot of popular games to the Xbox Game Pass service.
On January 18, 2022, Microsoft announced an even bigger plan: to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. This deal was completed in October 2023. This made Microsoft the third-largest gaming company in the world by how much money they make. After this, Phil Spencer became the CEO of the new Microsoft Gaming division, and Matt Booty became the head of Xbox Game Studios.
In October 2023, Alan Hartman, who used to lead Turn 10 Studios, became the new head of Xbox Game Studios.
Studios
Xbox Game Studios has many talented teams that make games. Here are some of them:
| Name | Headquarters | Founded | Acquired | Notable releases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 343 Industries | Redmond, Washington | 2007 | — | Halo |
| The Coalition | Vancouver | 2010 | — | Gears of War |
| Compulsion Games | Montreal | 2009 | 2018 | Contrast, We Happy Few |
| Double Fine | San Francisco | 2000 | 2019 | Psychonauts, Brütal Legend |
| The Initiative | Santa Monica, California | 2018 | — | Perfect Dark |
| inXile Entertainment | Tustin, California | 2002 | 2018 | Wasteland |
| Mojang Studios | Stockholm | 2009 | 2014 | Minecraft |
| Ninja Theory | Cambridge | 2000 | 2018 | Hellblade |
| Obsidian Entertainment | Irvine, California | 2003 | 2018 | Pillars of Eternity, The Outer Worlds, Grounded |
| Playground Games | Leamington Spa | 2010 | 2018 | Forza Horizon, Fable |
| Rare | Twycross | 1985 | 2002 | Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, Sea of Thieves |
| Turn 10 Studios | Redmond, Washington | 2001 | — | Forza Motorsport |
| Undead Labs | Seattle | 2009 | 2018 | State of Decay |
| World's Edge | Redmond, Washington | 2019 | — | Age of Empires |
| Xbox Game Studios Publishing | Redmond, Washington | 2000 | — | — |
Past Studios
Some studios that were once part of Xbox Game Studios have either been sold, spun off, or closed down.
- Sold or spun off
- Bungie — Known for Halo series — Became independent in 2007.
- Twisted Pixel Games — Spun off in 2015.
- Closed or merged
- Ensemble Studios — Made Age of Empires series — Closed.
- Lionhead Studios — Made Fable series — Closed.
- Press Play — Closed.
- Xbox Entertainment Studios — Closed.
Games published
See also
In Spanish: Xbox Game Studios para niños
