Welcome, everyone, to a brand new generation of Xbox OTs. Y'all know why we're here, so let's just skip the formalities then, eh?
First Party 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)
Studio Size: 500 employees
Notable Releases:
- Halo: Spartan Assault (XB1, Steam, Mobile | 2013 | Metascore 53/70/86)
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection (XB1 | 2014 | Metascore 85)
- Halo 4 (XB360 | 2012 | Metascore 87)
- Halo 5: Guardians (XB1 | 2015 | Metascore 84)
- Halo: Spartan Strike (Win10, Mobile | 2015 | Metascore 66)
- Halo 5: Forge (Win10 | 2016 | No Metascore)
- Halo Wars: Definitive Edition (XB1, Win10, Steam | 2017 | Metascore 81)
- Halo Wars 2 (XB1, Win10 | 2017 | Metascore 79)
- Halo Infinite, the future of Halo.
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection PC version (in conjunction with Ruffian and Splash Damage)
- Unknown project
Noteworthy Persons: Will be updated pending more information.
Studio Size: ~300 employees
Notable Releases:
- Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (XB1, Win10 | 2015 | Metascore 82/73)
- Gears of War 4 (XB1, Win10 | 2016 | Metascore 84/86)
- Gears Pop! (Mobile | 2019 )
- Gears of War 5 (XB1, Win10 | 2019 | Metascore 85/82)
- Gears Tactics (PC | 2020 | Metascore 81)
Upcoming Projects and Rumors:
- TBA
Noteworthy Persons: Alan Hartman (Studio Lead), Dan Greenawalt (Creative Director)
Studio Size: 100 employees
Notable Releases:
- Forza Motorsport 5 (XB1 | 2013 | Metascore 79)
- Forza Horizon 2 (XB1 | Collab W/ Playground Games | 2014 | Metascore 86)
- Forza Motorsport 6 (XB1 | 2015 | Metascore 87)
- Forza Motorsport 6: Apex (Win10 | 2016 | No Metascore)
- Forza Horizon 3 (XB1, Win10 | Collab W/ Playground Games | 2016 | Metascore 91/86)
- Forza Motorsport 7 (XB1, Win10 | 2017 | Metascore 86/82)
- Forza Horizon 4 (XB1, Win10 | 2018 | Metascore 92/88)
- Forza Motorsport 8 (potentially just called Forza Motorsport)
Noteworthy Persons: Craig Duncan (Studio Head), Gregg Mayles (Creative Director)
Studio Size: 200 employees
Notable Releases:
- Kinect Sports Rivals (XB1 | 2014 | Metascore 60)
- Rare Replay (XB1 | 2015 | Metascore 84)
- Sea of Thieves (XB1, Win10 | 2018 | Metascore 68)
- Rare working on two "extra IPs" other than Sea of Thieves
- Rare has turned into a "New IP factory"
- Partnership with Dlala Studios to create Battletoads
- Everwild
Noteworthy Persons: Jens Bergensten (Lead Creative Designer), Lydia Winters (Brand Director)
Studio Size: 70 employees
Notable Releases:
- Minecraft (360, PS3, Wii U, XB1, PS4, Switch, Win10, PC, Mobile | 2012-2017 | Metascore 88)
- Cobalt (XB1, PC | Collab w/ Oxeye Studios | 2016 | Metascore 66)
- Minecraft Earth (iOS, Android | 2019)
- Minecraft Dungeons (XB1, PS4, Switch, PC | 2020 | Metascore 75)
- TBA
Noteworthy Persons: Gavin Raeburn (Studio Head), Trevor Williams (Studio Head), Ralph Fulton (Creative Director)
Studio Size: ~240 employees
Notable Releases:
- Forza Horizon (360 | 2012 | Metascore 85)
- Forza Horizon 2 (360, XB1 | 2014 | Metascore 86)
- Forza Horizon 3 (XB1, Win10 | 2016 | Metascore 91/86)
- Forza Horizon 4 (XB1, Win10 | 2018 | Metascore 92/88)
- Brand new Fable
- Third team being created, as per rumor (citation needed)
Noteworthy Persons: Nina Kristensen (Chief Development Director), Tameem Antoniades (Chief Creative Director), Wil Driver (CTO), Joe Nelson (Game Director)
Studio Size: ~140 employees
Notable Releases:
- Kung Fu Chaos (OGXB | 2003 | Metascore 68)
- Heavenly Sword (PS3 | 2007 | Metascore 79)
- Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (360, PS3, PC | 2010 | Metascore 80)
- DmC: Devil May Cry (360, PS3, PS4, XB1, PC | 2013 | Metascore 86)
- DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition (XB1, PS4 | 2015 | Metascore 86)
- Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (XB1, PS4, PC | 2017 | Metascore 81)
- Star Wars: Vader Immortal Episode I (Oculus Quest, PC | 2019)
- Star Wars: Vader Immortal Episode II (Oculus Quest, PC | 2019)
- Star Wars: Vader Immortal Episode III (Oculus Quest, PC | 2019)
- Bleeding Edge (XB1, PC | 2020 | Metascore 66/62)
- Hellblade II: Senua's Saga (XB1, XSX, PC)
- Project Mara
- Project Insight
Noteworthy Persons: Darrell Gallagher (Studio Head), Dan Staley, Christian Cantamessa, Brian Westergaard, Dan Neuburger, and Tom Shepard
Studio Size: Will be updated as more info is made known.
Notable Releases:
- Will update as more info is made known.
- Will update as more info is made known.
Noteworthy Persons: Jeff Strain (Studio Head)
Studio Size: 75 employees
Notable Releases:
- State of Decay (360, PC | 2013 | Metascore 78)
- State of Decay 2 (XB1, Win10 | 2018 | Metascore 68)
- State of Decay 3
Noteworthy Persons: Guillaume Provost (Studio Head)
Studio Size: 40 employees
Notable Releases:
- Contrast (360, PS3, XB1, PS4, PC | 2013 | Metascore 59/62)
- We Happy Few (XB1, PS4, PC | 2018 | Metascore 65/68/62)
- Unannounced third person game
Noteworthy Persons: Feargus Urquhart (CEO), Chris Jones (CTO)
Studio Size: ~190 Employees
Notable Releases:
- Fallout: New Vegas (360, PS3, PC | 2010 | Metascore 84/82/84)
- South Park: The Stick of Truth (360, PS3, XB1, PS4, Switch, PC | 2014 | Metascore 82/85/85/85)
- Pillars of Eternity (PC | 2015 | Metascore 89),
- The Outer Worlds (XB1, PS4, PC, Switch | 2019 | Metascore 86/85/82/NA)
- New IP: Grounded
- Josh Sawyer's Project Missouri -- REVEALED JULY 2020 AS Avowed
- The Outer Worlds DLC
Noteworthy Persons: Brian Fargo (Founder and based in Newport Beach, CA), Matt Findley (former president, NOLA Studio Head), George Ziets
Studio Size: ~80 Employees
Notable Releases:
- Wasteland 2 (XB1, PS4, Switch, PC | 2015 | Metascore 77/80/74/87) [Newport Beach Studio]
- Torment: Tides of Numenera (XB1, PS4, PC | 2017 | Metascore 79/76/81) [Newport Beach Studio]
- The Bards' Tale IV: Barrows Deep (PS4, XB1, PC, macOS, Linux | 2018 | Metascore 71) [NOLA Studio]
- Wasteland 3 [Newport Beach Studio]
- Wasteland: Remastered (XB1, PC)
- Unannounced AAA RPG
Noteworthy Persons: Tim Schafer (Studio Head/Lead Developer)
Studio Size: ~73 Employees
Notable Releases:
- Psychonauts
- Brütal Legend
- Costume Quest
- The Cave
- Broken Age
- Grim Fandango Remastered
- Massive Chalice
- Psychonauts 2 (XB1, PS4, PC, macOS, Linux | 2020)
- Untitled online multiplayer game
Noteworthy Persons: Shannon Loftis (Studio Head)
Studio Size: Unknown
Notable Releases:
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (PC | 2019)
- Age of Empires IV (2020), in conjunction with Relic Entertainment
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2020)
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Other Studios/Teams:
- ID@Xbox, publishing support and pilot program for independent game developers
- Microsoft Studios Global Publishing, handles Microsoft Studio publishing between first party and partner studios
- Mixer, streaming service
- Backwards Compatibility Team, handles Xbox One BackCompat
- Microsoft Foundry, intern program
- Mixed Reality Team, works on AR/VR content for Xbox and Windows 10
- Microsoft Casual Games, works on the casual games collection for Microsoft, including MS Solitaire, Wordament, and MS Mahjong
- Xbox Growth Team
- Xbox Game Pass
- Project xCloud
- Mojang acquired with the purchase of Minecraft in 2014
- Havok acquired in 2015
- Beam (later Mixer) acquired in 2016
- Simplygon acquired in 2017
- PlayFab, acquired in 2018
- Playground Games, acquired in 2018
- Undead Labs, acquired in 2018
- Ninja Theory, acquired in 2018
- Compulsion Games, acquired in 2018
- Obsidian Entertainment, acquired in 2018
- inXile Entertainment, acquired in 2018
- Double Fine Productions, acquired in 2019
- Twisted Pixel (The Maw, Splosion Man), left in 2015
- Press Play (Max and the Curse of Brotherhood, Kalimba), closed in 2016
- Lionhead Studios (The Fable Franchise), closed in 2016
- Team Dakota (Project Spark), disbanded in 2016
- Xbox Fitness Team, disbanded in 2016
- Decisive Games, disbanded before public outing in 2016
- Black Tusk's new IP, cancelled to shift focus onto Gears of War and subsequent titles
- Project Spark, servers closed in 2015
- Fable Legends, cancelled with Lionhead's closing in 2016
- Project Knoxville, cancelled with Press Play's closing in 2016
- Xbox Fitness, servers closed June 2017
- Crackdown 3 (XB1, PC | 2019 | Metascore 60/54)
- Gears of War 5 (XB1, PC | 2019 | Metascore 85/82)
- The Outer Worlds (XB1, PS4, PC, Switch | 2019 | Metascore 86/85/82/NA)
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps (XB1, PC | 2020 | Metascore 90/90)
We begin with upcoming partner titles:
Developer: DONTNOD Entertainment
Release Date: 2020
Description:
Tell Me Why is the latest narrative adventure game from DONTNOD Entertainment, the studio behind the beloved franchise Life is Strange. In this intimate thriller, reunited twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan use their special bond to unravel mysteries of their loving but troubled childhood.
Set in the fictional town of Delos Crossing, Alaska, Tell Me Why features a cast of intriguing, true-to-life characters and mature themes. As you interact with memories of the past, you will make choices that determine the strength of the unique bond that Tyler and Alyson share—and shape the future course of the twins' lives.
Tell Me Why unfolds across three chapters, all of which will release in the Summer of 2020 with Xbox Game Pass and will also be available for purchase on Xbox One, Windows PC and Steam.
Developer: Asobo Studios
Release Date: 2020
Description:
Flight Simulator will feature Asobo's in-house developed game engine, and leverage Bing Maps data, accessing over two petabytes of data from the cloud on demand.[1]Azure AI analyzes map data and photogrammetry to generate photorealistic 3D models of buildings, trees, terrain, and so on. This allows the simulator to depict most parts of the world in 3D photo-realism, and other parts in high definition.[2]
There will also be realistic physics and weather systems, and utilization of real-world weather data. An example used at E3 2019 was that if it was raining somewhere in real life, it would be raining in-game. Individual clouds will have their own behaviors and they will impact aircraft performance depending on its location within the system. Asobo has created their own flight model engine, allowing thousands of surfaces and 3D forces and moments to be fully simulated.
Flight Simulator will populate roads with vehicles, water will flow realistically based on wind direction, grass will have individual grass blades and trees will have individual leaves, creating the illusion of a living world. It will feature over two million cities and towns and more than 40,000 real-world airports.
Developer: Smilegate
Release Date: 2020
Description:
CrossfireX delivers an intense first-person shooter experience where players are immersed in a sprawling global conflict between the world's two most formidable private military factions: Global Risk employs veterans of powerful armed forces who use advanced technologies to fight for order and security; Black List employs hardened mercenaries trained in guerilla tactics who fight to destabilize oppressive regimes in the name of freedom. Choose your side and complete objective-based missions across a variety of classic and innovative modes featuring tightly crafted gameplay and cinematic visuals.
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Miscellaneous & Important Information
Current Partner Studios:
- 4J Studios, original console versions of Minecraft
- Armature, ReCore DLC/updates
- Beep Industries, VooDoo Vince Remastered
- Certain Affinity, assistance on Halo projects
- Cloudgine, Crackdown 3
- Flaming Foul Studios, Fable Fortune
- Forgotten Empires, Age of Empires 1: Definitive Edition, Age of Empires 2 & 3: Definitive Editions
- Iron Galaxy Studios, Killer Instinct new characters/updates
- Moon Studios, Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- ReAgent Games, Crackdown 3
- Relic Entertainment, Age of Empire 4
- Saber Interactive, assistance on Halo projects
- Skybox Labs, Age of Empires DLC, Halo 5: Forge updates
- Smoking Gun Interactive, Age of Empires: Castle Siege
- Splash Damage, assistance on Gears of War 4 DLC
- StudioMDHR, Cuphead
- Electric Square, Miami Street (renamed to Forza Street)
- Sumo Digital, Crackdown 3
- DONTNOD, Tell Me Why
- None so far
- Cancelled Obsidian RPG
- Cancelled Halo Mega Blocks game
- Phantom Dust reboot cancelled in 2015
- Scalebound cancelled in 2017
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To reiterate, this post will be updated whenever new information is revealed or things need to be adjusted to reflect the current outlook as per the facts. If you have any suggestions, or believe I've left something out, please ping me in the Discord or send me a message here on Era and I'll address any issues as soon as I can.
Credit for the headers goes to Pelochoman.
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