The Hype Cycle never ceases.
Xbox Game Studios
Xbox Game Studios
Founded in 2007, 343 Industries is Microsoft's home team for all things Halo—video games, movies, TV shows, comics, et cetera. Here's some info:
Noteworthy Persons: Bonnie Ross (General Manager), Frank O'Connor (Franchise Director)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halo 4 | 360 | 2012 | 85 |
| Halo: Spartan Assault | XB1, Steam, Mobile | 2013 | 53 |
| Halo: The Master Chief Collection | XB1, PC | 2014 | 85 |
| Halo 5: Guardians | XB1 | 2015 | 84 |
| Halo: Spartan Strike | PC, Mobile | 2015 | 66 |
| Halo 5: Forge | PC | 2016 | N/A |
| Halo Wars: Definitive Edition | XB1, PC | 2017 | 81 |
| Halo Wars 2 | XB1, PC | 2017 | 79 |
| Halo Infinite | XB1, XSS|XSX, PC | 2021 | 87 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Links |
|---|---|
| TBD |
Originally founded in 2010 as Zipline Studios, The Coalition went through two more rebrandings—the first as Microsoft Studios Vancouver, and the second as Black Tusk Studios—before becoming Microsoft's dedicated Gears of War studio after the acquisition of the IP in early 2014. Here's some info:
Noteworthy Persons: Will be updated pending more information.
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gears of War: Ultimate Edition | XB1, PC | 2015 | 82 |
| Gears of War 4 | XB1, PC | 2016 | 84 |
| Gears Pop! | Mobile | 2019 | N/A |
| Gears of War 5 | XB1, Xbox Series, PC | 2019 | 85 |
| Gears Tactics | XB1, Xbox Series, PC | 2020 | 81 |
| Gears 5: Hivebusters | XB1, Xbox Series, PC | 2020 | 82 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Nothing yet |
Founded in 2001, apparently due to a lack of simulation racing games present on the Original Xbox, Turn 10 rose to prominence as the Forza Motorsport franchise grew into the tentpole it is today, further expanding in 2012 with the Forza Horizon franchise, developed by Playground Games. Here's some info:
Noteworthy Persons: Alan Hartman (Studio Lead), Dan Greenawalt (Creative Director)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forza Motorsport 5 | XB1 | 2013 | 79 |
| Forza Horizon 2 (in conjunction with Playground Games) | XB1 | 2014 | 86 |
| Forza Motorsport 6 | XB1 | 2015 | 87 |
| Forza Motorsport 6: Apex | PC | 2016 | N/A |
| Forza Horizon 3 (in conjunction with Playground Games) | XB1, PC | 2016 | 91 |
| Forza Motorsport 7 | XB1, PC | 2017 | 86 |
| Forza Horizon 4 (in conjunction with Playground Games) | XB1, PC | 2018 | 92 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Forza Motorsport reboot |
Founded in 1985 by the Stamper brothers, Rareware—as it was then called—focused almost exclusively on development for Nintendo systems, until Microsoft acquired the company in 2002 and shifted their focus to Xbox, changing their name to Rare in the process. Here's some info:
Noteworthy Persons: Craig Duncan (Studio Head), Gregg Mayles (Creative Director)
Studio Size: ~250 employees
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinect Sports Rivals | XB1 | 2014 | 60 |
| Rare Replay | XB1 | 2015 | 84 |
| Sea of Thieves | XB1, PC | 2018 | 68 |
| Battletoads | XB1, PC | 2020 | 72 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Rare working on two "extra IPs" other than Sea of Thieves | Link 1 |
| Rare has turned into a "New IP factory" | Link 1 |
| Everwild |
Founded in 2009 by digital Japanese idol Hatsune Miku, Mojang Studios was built around and catered to the development of the modern gaming phenomenon Minecraft. The studio was later acquired by Microsoft in 2014, and still largely focuses on the management and development of the Minecraft IP. Here's some info:
Noteworthy Persons: Jens Bergensten (Lead Creative Designer), Lydia Winters (Brand Director)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minecraft | 360, PS3, Wii U, XB1, PS4, Switch, PS Vita, PC, Mobile | 2012-2017 | 88 |
| Cobalt (collaboration with Oxeye Studios) | XB1, PC | 2016 | 66 |
| Minecraft Earth | Mobile | 2019 | N/A |
| Minecraft Dungeons | XB1, PS4, Switch, PC | 2020 | 75 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| TBA |
Established in 2010 by a large group of former racing developers from some of the best studios in the industry, Playground Games pioneered the breakout hit spinoff franchise Forza Horizon, and continues to maintain that series into its fourth iteration, as well as focuses on other projects.
Noteworthy Persons: Gavin Raeburn (Studio Head), Trevor Williams (Studio Head), Ralph Fulton (Creative Director)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forza Horizon | 360 | 2012 | 85 |
| Forza Horizon 2 | 360, XB1 | 2014 | 86 |
| Forza Horizon 3 | XB1, PC | 2016 | 91 |
| Forza Horizon 4 | XB1, PC | 2018 | 92 |
| Forza Horizon 5 | XB1, XSS|XSX, PC | 2021 | 92 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Brand new Fable | |
| Third team being created, as per rumor | (citation needed) |
Originally founded in 2000 as Just Add Monsters, the studio was rebranded as Ninja Theory in 2004 during the development of Heavenly Sword. Comprised of action game experts and a storied history in gaming, Ninja Theory is one of the leaders of action-heavy games and setpiece design.
Noteworthy Persons: Nina Kristensen (Chief Development Director), Tameem Antoniades (Chief Creative Director), Wil Driver (CTO), Joe Nelson (Game Director)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kung Fu Chaos | OGXB | 2003 | 68 |
| Heavenly Sword | PS3 | 2007 | 79 |
| Enslaved: Odyssey to the West | 360, PS3, PC | 2010 | 80 |
| DmC: Devil May Cry | 360, PS3, XB1, PS4, PC | 2013 | 86 |
| DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition | XB1, PS4 | 2015 | 86 |
| Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice | XB1, PS4, PC | 2017 | 81 |
| Star Wars: Vader Immortal, Episodes 1-3 | Quest | 2019 | N/A |
| Bleeding Edge | XB1, PC | 2020 | 66 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Hellblade II: Senua's Saga (XB1, XSX, PC) | |
| Project Mara | |
| Project Insight |
Founded in 2018, and headed up by Darrell Gallagher, The Initiative is a brand new studio operating out of Santa Monica, California, dedicated to working on brand new AAA games for Microsoft Studios.
Noteworthy Persons: Darrell Gallagher (Studio Head), Dan Staley, Christian Cantamessa, Brian Westergaard, Dan Neuburger, and Tom Shepard
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will update as more info is made known |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Perfect Dark in collaboration with Crystal Dynamics |
Founded in 2009 by Jeff Strain, Undead Labs operated on a laser-guided focus on zombie-based games. Their first game, State of Decay (360), was a smash Xbox Live Arcade hit. Acquired in 2018, Undead Labs remains committed to bringing out the best in zombie-related games, and potentially other projects as well.
Noteworthy Persons: Jeff Strain (Studio Head)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of Decay | 360, PC | 2013 | 78 |
| State of Decay 2 | XB1, PC | 2018 | 68 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| State of Decay 3 |
Founded in 2009 by Guillaume Provost in Montreal, Compulsion Games is comprised of various developers from Valve to Ubisoft, and focuses on story-driven games with weird twists.
Noteworthy Persons: Guillaume Provost (Studio Head)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast | 360, PS3, XB1, PS4, PC | 2013 | 59 |
| We Happy Few | XB1, PS4, PC | 2018 | 65 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Unannounced third person game |
Founded in 2003 by ex-Black Isle employees, Obsidian Entertainment is one of the foremost Western RPG developers in today's industry, with a legacy that includes acclaimed titles such as Pillars of Eternity, Fallout: New Vegas, and South Park: The Stick of Truth. Acquired in November 2018, the studio remains committed to brand new WRPG games in both new IPs and old, and will undoubtedly pursue masterclass projects across many fields.
Noteworthy Persons: Feargus Urquhart (CEO), Chris Jones (CTO)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fallout: New Vegas | 360, PS3, PC | 2010 | 84 |
| South Park: The Stick of Truth | 360, PS3, XB1, PS4, Switch, PC | 2014 | 82 |
| Pillars of Eternity | PC | 2015 | 89 |
| The Outer Worlds | XB1, PS4, PC, Switch | 2019 | 86 |
| Grounded | XB1, PC | 2020 | N/A |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Josh Sawyer's Project Missouri | |
| Avowed, a new RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe | |
| The Outer Worlds DLC | |
| Brandon Adler's Project | Link 1 |
| Carrie Patel's Project | Link 1 |
| The Outer Worlds 2 (Xbox Series, PC) |
Founded in 2002 by former members of Interplay Productions, inXile Entertainment are the creators behind some of the best CRPGs in the industry, such as Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenera. The studio is originally based in Newport Beach, California, however in November of 2015, inXile founded a second studio in New Orleans, where since now-former President Matt Findley has resided as Studio Lead.
Noteworthy Persons: Brian Fargo (Founder and based in Newport Beach, CA), Matt Findley (former president, NOLA Studio Head), George Ziets
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasteland 2 | XB1, PS4, Switch, PC | 2015 | 77 |
| Torment: Tides of Numenera | XB1, PS4, PC | 2017 | 79 |
| The Bards' Tale IV: Barrows Deep | XB1, PS4, PC, macOS, Linux | 2018 | 71 |
| Wasteland 3 | XB1, PS4, PC, macOS, Linux | 2020 | 84 |
| Wasteland: Remastered | XB1, PC | 2020 | 62 |
Upcoming Projects & Releases
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Unannounced AAA RPG |
Founded in 2002 by former LucasArts developers led by Tim Schafer, Double Fine Productions is a studio functioning as a masterclass in unique, interesting games focusing on fun above all else, even though they're really freaking good at the other stuff, too. Among their repertoire are such titles as Psychonauts, Massive Chalice, and the much beloved Grim Fandango Remastered—itself a modern rendition of a project Tim Schafer created back in the LucasArts days.
Noteworthy Persons: Tim Schafer (Studio Head/Lead Developer)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychonauts | |||
| Brütal Legend | |||
| Costume Quest | |||
| The Cave | |||
| Broken Age | |||
| Grim Fandango Remastered | |||
| Massive Chalice | |||
| Psychonauts 2 | XB1, PS4, PC, macOS, Linux | 2021 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Untitled online multiplayer game |
Created by Microsoft in 2019, World's Edge is headed up by Shannon Loftis and is responsible for managing the Age of Empires franchise in a similar fashion to 343 Industries with Halo and The Coalition with Gears of War. Not much is yet known about the studio, but we'll surely find out in the months and years to come.
Noteworthy Persons: Shannon Loftis (Studio Head)
Notable Releases
| Game Name | Platform(s) | Year of Release | Metascore (on console) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition | PC | 2019 | |
| Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition | PC | 2020 | |
| Age of Empires IV | PC | 2021 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Continued game support for Age of Empires IV |
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