This week, Microsoft Studios has been renamed once again to Xbox Game Studios.
Microsoft’s game division has been active since the year 2000.
It used to be called Microsoft Games, then Microsoft Game Studios, and most recently simply Microsoft Studios.
Matt Booty, Corporate Vice President – Xbox Game Studios talked about the new direction of the division on Xbox Wire.
“Xbox brand has also evolved from its original roots,” he said.
The games being built under the Xbox brand now cover games consoles, PC, and mobile platforms, so it makes sense to class Xbox as its own entity rather than just a part of Microsoft.
Xbox Game Studios has certainly grown in size, with recent studio acquisitions meaning there’s now 13 game development teams operating under the banner.
They include 343 Industries, The Coalition, Compulsion Games, The Initiative, inXile Entertainment, Minecraft, Ninja Theory, Obsidian Entertainment, Playground Games, Rare, Turn 10 Studios, Undead Labs, and the Global Publishing group. Seven of those teams were added during 2018.
Microsoft is clearly trying to change the focus of Xbox as well as playing catch-up to Sony this generation.
This is why Xbox Game Pass has been created and two versions of the next Xbox console, one of which will be a subscription-only streaming box, are expected.
But there’s still a lot of life left in the Xbox One S and Xbox One X with exclusives Crackdown 3, Gears 5, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps all expected to launch this year.
By:ZuvielNaazie/techvoiceafrica.com
