After 8 years of using their namesake for their video game development division, Microsoft has decided that a change was in order. What was once Microsoft Studios is now called Xbox Game Studios, which makes sense considering that all of their IP’s were all developed for an Xbox console at one time or another. The name change was revealed during an Inside Xbox livestream by Microsoft Corporate Vice President Matt Booty, who spoke to Xbox aficionado, Larry “Major Nelson” Hyrb, about the change.
Booty also released a statement in which he says that the name change represents just how far the division has come in terms of its production; “As we’ve expanded our focus beyond the console, the Xbox brand has also evolved from its original roots. Today, Xbox is our gaming brand across all devices, no matter how or where you want to play, or who you want to play with. In that spirit, I’m pleased to share that we are changing the name of our game development organization from Microsoft Studios to Xbox Game Studios.”
The Xbox Games Studios umbrella has some noteworthy names to boast about. High profile developers such as Rare, Obsidian, 343 Industries, Ninja Theory, and Playground Games all work under their supervision. These companies are known for big name titles like Sea of Thieves, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Halo, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and Forza Horizon 4. With such a strong cast of developers, it’s no surprise why Microsoft changed their gaming division’s name.
One of the biggest titles that the Xbox Games Studios division is about to release is Crackdown 3, which is due to launch on February 15, 2019. Along with this, the company is looking to expand their business even more by bringing Xbox Live to the Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android, allowing users to gain even more functionality of the online service through various means. On top of that, there’s also the Project xCloud streaming service, the possibility of disc-less Xbox One console this year, and the two rumored next-generation consoles titled “Anaconda and Lockhart.” It’s safe to say that Xbox Games Studios, name change or not, will be busy this year.
You can watch the Inside Xbox livestream in its entirety here: