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Playground Games to Expand to 400 Devs, Possible Third New IP Studio?

Rychu

Rychu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,263
Utah, USA
The reason I put question mark in the title is this isn't confirmed information but there is evidence pointing towards it.


There appears to be Forza Horizon, Fable and another project as well as three separate locations (presumably for each project).

This will be Microsoft Studios's second largest studio with 400+ devs. The first largest studio is 343 Industries with 500+ devs and the third largest studio is The Coalition with 300+ devs. Elsewhere in UK, Rare is fourth largest with 200+ employees.

100+ made Forza Horizon series while 200+ are planned to work on Fable. That would leave another 100 unaccounted for?

Lock if old or not thread worthy.
 
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Deleted member 47654

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This is too much and is happening too fast.
I dont know what to think, hope that the X018 helps to clear things up a bit
 
TheCrackedJack

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Oct 27, 2017
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I don't think you can make 3 AAA games with only 400 people, c'mon now. Not unless you outsource like a motherfucker.
 
ThereAreFourNaan

ThereAreFourNaan

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Nov 8, 2017
13,110
I can pretty much guarantee what will happen is that they have these ambitious goals to have 2.5 games in development at the same time, but then a project falls behind schedule, and a bunch of talent gets pulled to the project with the closest deadline, the farthest off project starts languishing without proper resourcing and then it turns into a 1.5 game studio instead.

400 for 1 game isn't even that huge if it's a big open world game in 2018. Quite often the headcounts are outsourced, but 3 games at once seems crazy ambitious unless one or two of those are small projects, comparatively. Maybe the 3rd game is just a small prototyping strike force or something.
 
Prine

Prine

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X018 maybe.

I don't think MS would create that event if they didn't have some huge to announce to carry Xbox hype into the new year.
 
AcridMeat

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Oct 26, 2017
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I think this studio is immensely talented, but I'm a little worried at them going too big too fast. Hopefully this just means they're going to make the fable project awesome?
 
The Iron Banana

The Iron Banana

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Apr 25, 2018
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As long as they don't get worn down and people stuck in the "Horizon studio" or "Fable Studio" they'll be fine. Allow some crossover and let people explore their creativity. If they're ramping up this much this tells you where their priorities lie for Scarlet.
 
Pancracio17

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Is 400 people enough to make 3 AAA games at the same time?
3rd studio might be some small AA thing or a support studio.
 
christocolus

christocolus

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Oct 27, 2017
14,932
May be they plan to add another 400 devs between the 2 new studios? Any ways at this rate they'll eventually become the biggest MS studio. All will be revealed @ XO18 :) Either way it's great to see MS investing heavily in 1st party. Well done MS.
 
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Pokemon Master Tim

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Jun 14, 2018
313
It's either a support studio or a small team that works on somewhat experimental titles. People are right about not being able to simultaneously create 3 AAA games with 400 people. Guerrilla Games (Killzone, Horizon Zero Dawn) recently grew larger to 450 employees but they're only making two games at a time.

Or I guess they could rotate staff jobs. If they stagger development they could increase/decrease the amount of people working a specific game based on deadlines.
 
Kolx

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Oct 25, 2017
8,505
400 seems like it can barely cover 2 aaa games. Is there any indication of going 3 teams other than the number?
 
RdN

RdN

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Oct 31, 2017
1,781
One of the most talented studios on the world, of course they'll keep growing.

With that said, I'll echo what some have already said: I believe the third team will be a support team, that will step in when projects run behind schedule, as well as dealing with DLC and support for projects.
 
Jiraiya

Jiraiya

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Oct 27, 2017
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I'd imagine they'll produce some light titles made for gamepass. Episodic like hitman possibly.
 
OneBadMutha

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Nov 2, 2017
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Spencer or Booty mentioned around E3 time that every studio would have at least one small experimental incubation team. My bet is the 3rd team will be small and won't be doing anything that will go into full production anytime soon.
 
Possum

Possum

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Oct 25, 2017
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I dunno what the Hell is going on over there, but FH4 is amazing and Fable is likely going to be amazing as well. I hope they just keep doing what they're doing and bring on the games baby!
 
OP
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Rychu

Rychu

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Oct 25, 2017
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Utah, USA
OneBadMutha said:
Spencer or Booty mentioned around E3 time that every studio would have at least one small experimental incubation team. My bet is the 3rd team will be small and won't be doing anything that will go into full production anytime soon.
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We have already seen three incubation projects announced.

The Coalition: Gears Tactics and Gears Pop
Rare: Battletoads
 

Deleted member 268

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I think it'd be cool if Microsoft would grow their studios into multi team studios and then spin them off to form new studios with their own identity.

I still hope to see Shangheist some day from the people at The Coalition that were working on it.
 
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Rychu

Rychu

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Oct 25, 2017
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Rumblebones said:
I think it'd be cool if Microsoft would grow their studios into multi team studios and then spin them off to form their new identity.

I still hope to see Shangheist some day.
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The Coalition is only 250+ devs, would need to double in size to take on a second project I think.

343 Industries however has 500+ devs and I really don't think you need that many devs for one Halo game, I think they could split into two.
 
RellikSK

RellikSK

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Nov 1, 2017
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If there is a third studio, I think it would be a support studio. Also if they have 3 seperate studios the count they should be aiming for is 500+.
 
Iwao

Iwao

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Oct 25, 2017
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So who is this person who is claiming a third studio?

Doesn't seem very smart to grow this quickly, that is unless it's a support and/or production only studio.
 
jelly

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I don't think 343 have that many devs, staff yes because they oversee all things Halo but people making the games, it's probably quite a bit less.
 
fanboy

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What the fuck is 343 industries doing with 500+ employees? Apart from halo series, are they building up next gen console for ms or what? Its not like they made a lots of really big games.
 
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Rychu

Rychu

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Oct 25, 2017
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Rychu

Rychu

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Oct 25, 2017
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fanboy said:
What the fuck is 343 industries doing with 500+ employees? Apart from halo series, are they building up next gen console for ms or what? Its not like they made a lots of really big games.
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According to an E3 interview, I believe over 550 people are working on Halo Infinite right now? Most of the team at 343 Industries and Skybox Labs support studio.
 
Samuel Tolbert

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Oct 27, 2017
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fanboy said:
What the fuck is 343 industries doing with 500+ employees? Apart from halo series, are they building up next gen console for ms or what? Its not like they made a lots of really big games.
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Part of the team is most likely dedicated to developing and improving the new SlipSpace engine. Beyond that, they're most likely growing to be able to handle a massive game much quicker.
 

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Rychu said:
The Coalition is only 250+ devs, would need to double in size to take on a second project I think.

343 Industries however has 500+ devs and I really don't think you need that many devs for one Halo game, I think they could split into two.
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It's a long shot, but can a man dream?

I think it's not entirely out the realm of possibility because what they were working on apparently look good. Spencer seemed to like it, and even cboat, who was typically negative on all things Microsoft, was impressed by certain aspects of it.

New IP are in high demand. I can see it happen.
 
SageShinigami

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Oct 27, 2017
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400 developers isn't really enough to make an open world RPG and something else like Forza. Now it's going to make an open world RPG, Forza, and something something else? When do they plan to put these games out, 2025?
 
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