Microsoft is looking to even the playing field next generation by releasing more first-party exclusives than ever before. In order to achieve this, it needs studios and lots of them. While we already know Xbox has plenty of talented developers on board, there might be one – or even two – that haven't yet been revealed.
During day one of the company's Game Stack Live event, Microsoft's General Manager of Game Development Kevin Gammill said Xbox Game Studios had 16 first-party teams assigned to game creation. What's so surprising about this is the fact there's no public record of this many studios. Here's his exact words:
What's unique about gaming at Microsoft is that we build the tools for game developer and then we use them across our 16 first-party studios to actually create games. We recognize game development is about pushing technology to its absolute limits.
As highlighted by Wccftech, this is unlikely to be a slip-up, as it was a pre-recorded message at the start of the show.
The currently confirmed studios under the Xbox banner include 343 Industries, Compulsion Games, Double Fine, InXile Entertainment, Mojang, Ninja Theory, Obsidian Entertainment, Playground Games, Rare, The Coalition, The Initiative, Turn 10, Undead Labs and World's Edge. Xbox Game Studios Publishing is also believed to be included, but if it's not, Microsoft technically only has 14 internal development studios – meaning it could have acquired two more teams.
If it is just a single studio, which one could it be? There have been rumours about Microsoft eyeing off a Polish developer, and there's a theory Asobo Studio (responsible for Microsoft Flight Simulator) could be the next acquisition. Perhaps it's something else completely?
Tell us your own thoughts and theories in the comments below.
[source wccftech.com]
Comments 14
Phil Spencer did say that it would be good if they could acquire a Japanese studio. They have a great amount of talent now, so if they can add another to it then it's just another potential great game rolling out
it could have just been a slip of the tongue of course
Maybe MS has acquired a couple of new studio's but with the way things are, haven't announced them publicly as intended before this announcement - being pre-recorded they may have expected the announcement to happen before this went out.
No doubt we will find out in due course...
@FullbringIchigo
A prerecorded slip of the tongue? 😒
@SuperNintendoMii I remember Phil saying that, and a lot of people immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was going to be Platinum Games. However after the investment from Tencent and the projects they’ve so far announced to be working on, that’s almost certainly not the case. Is there any others they could look at acquiring?
I hope its Remedy games.
@gingataisen yeah there are mistakes in prerecorded content all the time
have you never watched a TV show or film for example where you see the camera reflected in a shinny surface, a strange shadow in the background or even a fluffed line
it happens, no one is perfect
@FragRed yeah I doubt it's platinum games. Some people speculated Sony was going to buy Capcom, would be an industry shaking announcement if Microsoft swiped in and nabbed them. In honesty I'm not sure who they could buy that's Japanese
@Ash_Rogers I'd like that, they are a company that don't get near as much credit as they should. Quantum Break was brilliant
@SuperNintendoMii I suspect the way Capcom are right now with their huge successes in Resident Evil and Monster Hunter, they’re too expensive and I think they’re publicly listed so it would definitely have been public knowledge. I could see Microsoft investing in a startup Japanese studio and tempting people away from other developers.
@FullbringIchigo
You're comparing a scripted message with a blooper. In either case, they can both be edited afterwards. This wasn't. Why?
@gingataisen oversight maybe
anyway i'm not saying it was a mistake just that it could be a mistake
if XB got a new secret developer then all power to them and they will tell us in due time, if they haven't and it was a mistake then that's all it is, a slip of the tongue and we move on
@SuperNintendoMii yeah I have enjoyed every game that they have launched.
@FullbringIchigo
Indeed they will. On topic though, I'm thinking Asobo and maybe Techland.
@gingataisen i think they need a big Japanese developer say for example Square Enix or SEGA in order for them to finally break into the market over there, it's something they always struggle with and a big developer could help them
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