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Microsoft Game Studios

 
Hoover's Profile: Microsoft Game Studios
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Contact Information
Microsoft Game Studios
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399
WA Tel. 425-882-8080
Fax 425-706-7329

Type: Business Segment
On the web: http://www.microsoft.com/games/

Microsoft's got a finger in just about every pie, including the video game software played on its Xbox 360 platform, as well as PCs running the Windows operating system. Microsoft Game Studios, a division of the computing behemoth, oversees Xbox and PC gaming operations. Popular titles include the Age of Empires and Age of Mythology series, Halo, Gears of War, and Project Gotham Racing. The division also offers Xbox Live, one of the largest online gaming subscription services, which also enables users to access a variety of downloadable games, videos, music, and other content.

Officers:
VP: Phil Spencer
Director U.S. Brand and Creative Marketing, Xbox: Entertainment & Games Software

Competitors:
Electronic Arts
Nintendo
Sony Online Entertainment

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Wikipedia: Microsoft Game Studios
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Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios.svg
Type Video game
Current owner Microsoft
Country of origin United States
Introduced 2002
Related brands Games for Windows
Markets Worldwide
Website http://www.microsoft.com/games/

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.

Contents

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.

Studios

In-house

Third-party partners

Former third-party partners

Former in-house

Other

Owned franchises and properties




Games released by Microsoft

 This list may be better in a table format.
Please help improve this list, prune it, or discuss it on the talk page.
This article has been tagged since September 2009.

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.

MS-DOS/Windows

Xbox

Xbox 360

Xbox Live Arcade

See also

References

  1. ^ Microsoft Acquires Video Game Powerhouse Rare Ltd.: Developers of Such Worldwide Hits as "Donkey Kong 64," "Banjo-Kazooie," "GoldenEye 007" And "Perfect Dark" Bring Their Tale...
  2. ^ Microsoft Game Studios Acquires Video Game Luminary Peter Molyneux’s Lionhead Studios: Lionhead’s hit franchise “Fable” surpasses 2 million unit sales milestone
  3. ^ Microsoft to Acquire In-Game Advertising Pioneer Massive Inc.: Massive’s technology for weaving dynamic, relevant ads into video games will extend next-generation advertising ...
  4. ^ Gamasutra - New Microsoft Game Studios Office For Europe
  5. ^ Joe Keiser (2008-05-22). "Exclusive Interview: MS to Delist XBLA Titles". Next-Gen.biz. http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10620&Itemid=2. Retrieved 2008-05-22. 
  6. ^ http://www.industrygamers.com/news/halo-anime-to-be-overseen-by-343-industries/ IndustryGamers- Halo Anime to be overseen by 343 Industries
  7. ^ http://gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21981
  8. ^ http://pc.ign.com/articles/947/947737p1.html
  9. ^ http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/microsoft-closes-aces-game-studio

External links

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Annual Revenue: ▲ $60.420 billion USD (2008) · Employees: 89,809 (2008) · Stock Symbol: MSFT · Website: microsoft.com
Further information: List of assets owned by Microsoft Corporation

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