Microsoft Game Studios is a brand owned by Microsoft and introduced in 2002 to represent the company as a video game publisher, coinciding with the launch of the Xbox. Games published by Microsoft under the MGS label are typically released for the Windows and/or Xbox (360) platforms exclusively, regardless of whether the developer is a first or third party.
[edit] History
Microsoft Game Studios have acquired and lost many game development houses since its inception.
In September 2002, MGS acquired Rare Ltd. from Nintendo and the Stamper brothers (Chris and Tim), who owned 49% and 51% of the company respectively in what is believed to be one of the most expensive purchases of a video games development company yet, at a cost of around USD375 million.[1] This also meant Microsoft acquired the rights to Rare’s own original IPs such as the Banjo-Kazooie, Conker and Perfect Dark franchises.
In April 2006, MGS announced that they had purchased Lionhead Studios for an undisclosed sum. This has allowed them to further bolster the range of exclusive titles for their Xbox platforms, notably with the Fable video game series.[2] The following month, MGS also acquired Massive Incorporated, an in-game advertising company to provide additional revenues from their gaming platforms such as PCs and the Xbox 360.[3]
In May 2007, Microsoft announced it would be opening a European office of MGS in Reading in the United Kingdom (the present location of Microsoft's General UK offices). This office will be headed by Phil Spencer, who was General Manager for the games division before the announcement.[4]
In September 2007 Microsoft disbanded FASA Studio best known for their MechWarrior series.
In October 2007, Bungie announced that it had split with Microsoft and become a privately held independent company.
In March 2008 Microsoft disbanded their casual games studio - Carbonated Games.
In May 2008, Microsoft announced the formation of a newly created internal games studio to create "high quality digital content" for Xbox Live Arcade.[5]
In January 2009, Microsoft closed both Ensemble Studios and ACES Game Studio due to a process of ongoing job cuts due to financial crisis and restructuring of their game studios.
[edit] Studios
[edit] In-house
[edit] Third-party partners
- Artoon: Blinx series, Blue Dragon.
- Bungie: Halo series, Marathon series, Myth series.
- Epic Games: Gears of War series, Shadow Complex.
- feelplus Inc.: Lost Odyssey, Ninety-Nine Nights II.
- Gastronaut Studios: Gel: Set & Match, Small Arms.
- Mistwalker: Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey.
- NinjaBee: A Kingdom for Keflings, Cloning Clyde, Dash of Destruction.
- Ruffian Games: Crackdown 2.
- Sarbakan: Unannounced XBLA Game
- Ska Studios: The Dishwasher
- Twisted Pixel: 'Splosion Man, The Maw.
[edit] Former third-party partners
[edit] Former in-house
- ACES Game Studio: Microsoft Flight Simulator series, Combat Flight Simulator series and Microsoft Train Simulator series. Closed on January 23, 2009 in a process of ongoing job cuts due to Financial crisis of 2007–2009.[7][8][9]
- Ensemble Studios: Age of Empires series, Age of Mythology, Halo Wars. Disbanded on January 29, 2009.
- Carbonated Games: Developed for MSN Games and Windows Live Messenger. Disbanded on March 27, 2008.
- Digital Anvil: Brute Force, Freelancer. Disbanded on January 31, 2006.
- Hired Gun: Halo 2 for Windows Vista. Disbanded in October 2007.
- FASA Studio: MechWarrior series. Disbanded on September 12, 2007.
- Indie Built: Amped series, Links series, Top Spin series. Sold off to Take-Two Interactive in October 2004, now disbanded.
[edit] Owned franchises and properties
[edit] Games released by Microsoft
This list of games is sorted by platform and includes games published by Microsoft. For those games not developed under the Microsoft name, the developer is noted after the game's release date.
[edit] MS-DOS/Windows
- 1990
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
[edit] Xbox 360
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- Announced for 2010
- Release Date Unknown
[edit] Xbox Live Arcade
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
