Founded in 2007, 343 Industries is Microsoft's home team for all things Halo—video games, movies, TV shows, comics, et cetera. The studio was led by former general manager Bonnie Ross. In September of 2022, Bonnie Ross left the studio and gave the helm to Pierre Hintze.
Noteworthy Persons: Pierre Hintze (studio head), Brian Koski (general manager of the Halo franchise) and Elizabeth Van Wyck (business and operations).
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 |
|---|---|
| Halo: Infinite DLC "The Endless" (rumoured) |
Halo Infinite Rumor Leaks Campaign DLCA new Halo Infinite rumor is making the rounds about the game's campaign, which is said to be [...]
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| Halo: Infinite 'Tatanka' in collaboration with Certain Affinity |
Halo Infinite battle royale: Tatanka gameplay, leaks, and everything we knowHere's an overview of everything we know about Halo Infinite's upcoming "Project Tatanka" game mode.
www.windowscentral.com
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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. The current studio head is Mike Crump. The studio is mainly known for having a strong set of expertise in the Unreal Engine. As such, the studio helps out on other XGS developers like Undead Labs and Rare.
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 |
| Support on Halo: Infinite | XB1, XSS|XSX, PC | 2021 | 87 |
| The Matrix UE5 Demo | XSX|XSS, PS5 | 2021 | / |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| "Smaller-scaled project to test the waters of UE5" + not related to Gears |
Gears dev The Coalition are working on "several unannounced projects"Xbox studio The Coalition are rumoured to be working on a new IP and a new Gears game.
www.altchar.com
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| Gears 6 |
Gears dev The Coalition are working on "several unannounced projects"Xbox studio The Coalition are rumoured to be working on a new IP and a new Gears game.
www.altchar.com
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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 & Upcoming Projects
| 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 |
| Forza Motorsport | XSS|XSX, PC | 2023 | / |
Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Support on Fable, FH6 (engine-related) |
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)
Notable Releases & Upcoming Projects
| 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 |
| Everwild | / | / | / |
Additional info
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Gregg Mayles becomes the creative director for Everwild. The project has undergone a complete reboot. |
Why wasn’t Everwild at E3? It’s been ‘completely rebooted’ | VGCSources suggest Rare is ‘starting from scratch'; studio confirms new creative director…
www.videogameschronicle.com
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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 & Upcoming Projects
| 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. No longer supported | 2019 | N/A |
| Minecraft: Dungeons | XB1, PS4, Switch, PC | 2020 | 75 |
| Minecraft: Legends | XB1, XSS|XSX, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC | 2023 | / |
Additional info
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Minecraft: Legends |
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 & Upcoming 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 |
| Fable (in conjunction with Eidos Montreal) | / | / | / |
Additional info
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Eidos Montreal helping out on Fable |
Embracer Group Shuts Down Montreal Video Game StudioOnoma, the maker of Hitman Go, will close up shop.
www.bloomberg.com
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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 |
| Hellblade II: Senua's Saga | XSS|XSX, PC | / | / |
| Project Mara | Unknown | / | / |
Additional Info
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect Dark in collaboration with Crystal Dynamics | / | / | / |
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 |
| State of Decay 3 | / | / | / |
Additional info
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Engine support from The Coalition. |
Undead Labs & The Coalition Working On State Of Decay 3 TechUndead Labs and The Coalition are working together to use Unreal Engine 5 and incorporate Gears of War technology into State of Decay 3.
twistedvoxel.com
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| Big hirings related to animation work and game engine engineering. |
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 |
|---|---|
| Project Midnight |
New upcoming Xbox exclusives revealed: Project 'Midnight' from Compulsion and 'Pentiment' from ObsidianWe've got details on two more upcoming Xbox exclusives.
www.windowscentral.com
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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, XSS|XSX, PC | 2022 | 82 |
| Pentiment | XB1, XSS|XSX, PC | 2022 | 86 |
| Avowed | / | / | / |
| The Outer Worlds 2 | / | / | / |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Obsidian focusing on game development for the Unreal Engine 5. |
Obsidian is using Unreal Engine 5 for The Outer Worlds 2 and AvowedConfirmation arrives that both Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 could use Unreal Engine 5 as their graphics engine. A LinkedIn profile confirmed that Obsidian Entertainment may have chosen to use Unreal Engine 5 to develop Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 . In the past there was talk of the adoption...
thegamespoof.com
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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 The Mage's Tale | XB1, PS4, PC PC (VR) | 2017 | 79 69 |
| 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 |
| Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds | PC (VR) | 2020 | / |
Upcoming Projects & Releases
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Project Cobalt |
Xbox Game Studios codenames: New upcoming games Project 'Indus' and 'Cobalt' detailedNVIDIA giveth.
www.windowscentral.com
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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 2 | Xbox One, XSS | XSX, PS4, PC, MacOS, Linux | Digital 2021, Physical 2022 | 89 |
Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition | PC | 2019 | |
| Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition | PC | 2020 | |
| Age of Empires IV | PC | 2021 | 83 |
Upcoming Projects & Rumors
| Project/Rumor | Any Related Links |
|---|---|
| Age of Empires expansions |
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