MICROSOFT GAME STUDIOS

'Microsoft Game Studios' (MGS), branded with current logo and moniker in 2002 (formerly the 'Microsoft Game Division' or 'Microsoft Games'), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. which develops and publishes video games for Windows-based PCs and the Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. MGS publishes games for several Microsoft-owned first-party developers, including Bungie Studios and Rare Ltd.. MGS also publishes games created by third-party developers, such as Bioware and Bizarre Creations.

Contents

Acquisitions and announcements

Notable products

In-house studios

Games released under the MGS brand

PC

Xbox

Xbox/Xbox 360

Xbox 360

Xbox Live Arcade

External links

Acquisitions and announcements

Microsoft Game Studios had acquired many game development houses such as the acquisition of Bungie Studios in 2001 which gave it full control of the studio and shifted the development of Bungie’s game to its Xbox platform. [1]
In August 2002, MGS acquired Rare 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 US 375 million.[2] This also meant Microsoft acquired the rights to Rare’s own original IP’s such as the Perfect Dark and Banjo-Kazooie franchises.
An announcement on April 6th 2006 brought news that Microsoft Game studios had purchased Lionhead Studios for an undisclosed sum, to further bolster the range of exclusive titles it could provide for the Xbox 360 platform.[3]
During May 2006 Microsoft also acquired Massive Inc, an in-game advertising company to provide additional revenues from their gaming platforms such as PCs and the Xbox 360. [4]
On May 4th 2007 Microsoft announced it would be opening a European office of Microsoft Game Studios 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. [5]

Notable products

★ 'Xbox' — Video Game Console

★ 'Xbox 360' — Video Game Console

★ 'XNA Integrated Development Environment'

★ 'DirectX' API's.

In-house studios

★ 'ACES Game Studio': ''Flight Simulator'' series, ''Combat Flight Simulator'' series and the upcoming ''Train Simulator 2''

★ 'Bungie': ''Halo'' series, ''Myth'' series, ''Marathon'' series

★ 'Carbonated Games': ''Hexic'', ''7 Hand Poker'', ''UNO'', ''Aegis Wing''

★ 'Ensemble': ''Age of Empires'' series, ''Age of Mythology'' series, ''Halo Wars''

★ 'FASA Interactive': ''Shadowrun'', ''Crimson Skies'', ''Mechwarrior'' series

★ 'Hired Gun': ''Halo 2 for Windows Vista

★ 'Lionhead': ''Black & White'' series, ''The Movies'', ''Fable'' series

★ 'Rare': ''Goldeneye 007'', ''Perfect Dark'' series, ''Kameo'', ''Killer Instinct'' series, ''Banjo'' series, Viva Piñata

★ 'Turn 10': ''Forza Motorsport'' series

★ 'Wingnut Interactive': A new studio set up in conjunction with Peter Jackson (they will be producing alongside with ''Bungie Studios'' a new game based in the ''Halo'' universe)

★ 'Massive Inc.': A studio primarily set up for in game advertising.

Games released under the MGS brand

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.

PC

★ ''Age of Empires'' (October 15 1997) — Ensemble Studios

★
★ '' (November 5 1998) — Ensemble Studios

★ '' (August 24 1999) — Ensemble Studios

★ '' (October 16 1999) — Ensemble Studios

★
★ '' (August 25 2000) — Ensemble Studios

★ ''Age of Empires III'' (October 18 2005) — Ensemble Studios

★
★ '' (October 17 2006) — Ensemble Studios

★
★ '' (TBA 2007) — (Ensemble Studios, Big Huge Games)

★ ''Age of Empires III Collector's Edition'' (October 18, 2005) — Ensemble Studios

★ ''Age of Mythology'' (October 31 2002) — Ensemble Studios

★
★ '' (September 30 2003) — Ensemble Studios

★ ''Age of Mythology Gold Edition'' (June 30 2004) — Ensemble Studios

★ ''Alan Wake'' (2007) — Remedy Entertainment

★ ''Allegiance'' (March 16 2000)

★ ''Asheron's Call'' (December 1 1999) — Turbine, Inc.

★ ''Asheron's Call 2''

★ ''Close Combat'' (1996) — Atomic Games

★ '' (1997) — Atomic Games

★ '' (1998) — Atomic Games

★ ''Combat Flight Simulator WWII Europe Series'' (1998)

★ ''Combat Flight Simulator 2: WWII Pacific Theater'' (2000)

★ '' (2002)

★ Combat Flight Simulator 4 (TBA)

★ ''Deadly Tide'' (1996)

★ ''Dungeon Siege'' (2002) — Gas Powered Games

★ '' (2003) — Gas Powered Games

★ ''Dungeon Siege II'' (2005) — Gas Powered Games

★ '' (2005) — Lionhead Studios

★ ''Freelancer'' (2003) — Digital Anvil

★ ''Fighter Ace'' (December 31 1997)

★ ''Fury³'' (June 24 1996)

★ ''Gears of War'' (2007) — Epic Games

★ '' (2003) — Bungie Studios

★ ''Halo 2 for Windows Vista'' (2007) — Hired Gun / Bungie Studios

★ ''Hellbender (1996) Terminal Reality

★ ''Impossible Creatures'' (2003) — Relic Entertainment

★
★ '' (2003) — Relic Entertainment

★ '' (2003) — Ensemble Studios

★ ''Links 2003'' (2002) — Indie Built

★ '' (2003)

★ ''Links Championship Edition'' (2003)

★ ''Links LS Classic'' (?) — Indie Built

★ ''Marvel Universe Online'' (2007) — Cryptic Studios and Marvel Interactive

★ ''MechCollection'' (?)

★ ''MechCommander 2'' (2001)

★ '' (2000)

★
★ '' (2001) — Cyberlore Studios

★
★ '' (2002) — Cyberlore Studios / FASA Interactive

★
★ '' (2002) — Cyberlore Studios / FASA Interactive

★
★ '' (2002) — Cyberlore Studios

★ ''Microsoft Baseball 2000'' (1999)

★ ''Microsoft Baseball 2001'' (2000)

★ ''Microsoft CART Precision Racing'' (1997)

★ '' (December 31, 1997)

★ ''Microsoft Flight Simulator '95'' (1996)

★ ''Microsoft Flight Simulator '98'' (1997)

★ ''Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000'' (1999)

★ ''Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002'' (2001)

★ '' (2003)

★ ''Microsoft Flight Simulator X'' (2006) — ACES Studio

★ '' (2007) — ACES Studio

★ ''Microsoft Golf'' (June 1 1995)

★ ''Microsoft Golf Version 3.0'' (December 12 1996)

★ ''Microsoft Golf 1998 Edition'' (June 16 1998)

★ ''Microsoft Pinball Arcade'' (1998)

★ ''Microsoft Soccer'' (December 12, 1996)

★ ''Microsoft Space Simulator'' (1994)

★ ''Microsoft Train Simulator'' (2001) — Kuju Entertainment

★ ''Microsoft Train Simulator 2'' (re-announced, as of 2007) — ACES Studio

★ ''Midtown Madness'' (1999) — Angel Studios

★ ''Midtown Madness 2'' (2000) — Angel Studios

★ ''Monster Truck Madness'' (1996) — Terminal Reality

★ ''Monster Truck Madness 2'' (1998) — Terminal Reality

★ ''Motocross Madness'' (1998) — Rainbow Studios

★ ''Motocross Madness 2'' (2000) — Rainbow Studios

★ ''Mythica'' (cancelled)

★ ''NBA Full Court Press'' (March 30, 1998)

★ ''NBA Inside Drive 2000'' (1999)

★ ''NFL Fever 2000'' (1999)

★ ''Outwars'' (1998)

★ ''Pandora's Box'' (August 31, 1999)

★ ''Racing Madness 2'' (?)

★ ''RalliSport Challenge'' (2002) — Digital Illusions CE

★ ''Return of Arcade Anniversary Edition'' (1997) — Namco

★ ''Rise of Nations'' (2003) — Big Huge Games

★
★ '' (2004) — Big Huge Games

★ '' (2006) — Big Huge Games

★ ''ShadowRun'' (2007) — FASA Studio

★ ''StarLancer''

★ ''Urban Assault'' (July 31, 1998) — TerraTools

★ ''Viva Piñata'' (2007) — Rare

★ ''Zoo Tycoon'' (2001) — Blue Fang Games

★
★ '' (2002) — Blue Fang Games

★
★ '' (2002) — Blue Fang Games

★ ''Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection'' (2003) — Blue Fang Games

★ ''Zoo Tycoon 2'' (2004) — Blue Fang Games

★
★ '' (2005) — Blue Fang Games

★
★ '' (2006) — Blue Fang Games

★
★ '' (2006) — Blue Fang Games

★ '' '' (2006) — Blue Fang Games

★
★ '' (2006) — Blue Fang Games

★
★ '' (2007) — Blue Fang Games

Xbox

★ '2001'

★
★ ''Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding''

★
★ ''

★
★ ''Blood Wake''

★
★ ''Fuzion Frenzy''

★
★ ''

★
★ ''NFL Fever 2002''

★
★ ''

★
★ ''Project Gotham Racing''

★ '2002'

★
★ ''

★
★ ''Kakuto Chojin''

★
★ ''MechAssault''

★
★ ''NBA Inside Drive 2002''

★
★ ''NBA Inside Drive 2003''

★
★ ''NFL Fever 2003''

★
★ ''NightCaster''

★
★ ''Quantum Redshift''

★
★ ''RalliSport Challenge''

★
★ ''Sega GT 2002 / Jet Set Radio Future (combo disk)

★
★ ''Sneakers''

★
★ ''Whacked!''

★
★ ''Xbox Exhibition Demo Disc Vol. 1

★ '2003'

★
★ ''Amped 2''

★
★ ''Brute Force''

★
★ ''Counter-Strike''

★
★ ''

★
★ ''Dinosaur Hunting''

★
★ ''Grabbed by the Ghoulies''

★
★ ''Inside Pitch 2003''

★
★ ''Kung Fu Chaos''

★
★ ''Links 2004''

★
★ ''Magatama'' '(Japan Only)'

★
★ ''Midtown Madness 3''

★
★ ''N.U.D.E.@Natural Ultimate Digital Entertainment'' '(Japan Only)'

★
★ ''NBA Inside Drive 2004''

★
★ ''NFL Fever 2004''

★
★ ''NHL Rivals 2004''

★
★ ''Project Gotham Racing 2''

★
★ ''Shenmue II''

★
★ ''

★
★ ''The Wild Rings'' '(Japan Only)'

★
★ ''Top Spin''

★
★ ''Voodoo Vince''

★
★ ''Xbox Exhibition Demo Disc Vol. 2

★
★ ''Xbox Exhibition Demo Disc Vol. 3

★
★ ''Xbox Exhibition Demo Disc Vol. 4

★
★ ''Xbox Music Mixer''

★ '2004'

★
★ ''

★
★ ''Fable''

★
★ ''Halo 2''

★
★ ''

★
★ ''

★
★ ''OutRun 2'' '(Co-published with Sega)'

★
★ ''Phantom Dust''

★
★ ''RalliSport Challenge 2''

★
★ ''Sudeki''

★
★ ''Xbox Exhibition Demo Disc Vol. 5''

★
★ ''Xbox Video Chat'' '(Japan Only)'

★ '2005'

★
★ ''

★
★ ''Forza Motorsport''

★
★ ''Jade Empire''

★
★ ''

★
★ ''Wreckless 2'' '(Japan Only)'

★
★ ''Xbox Exhibition Demo Disc Vol. 6''

★
★ ''Xbox Exhibition Demo Disc Vol. 7''

★
★ ''Zillernet'' '(Korea Only)'

★ 'Cancelled'

★
★ ''True Fantasy Live Online''

★
★ ''BC''

Xbox/Xbox 360

★ '2006'

★
★ ''Big Bumpin''

★
★ ''Pocket Bike Racer''

★
★ ''Sneak King''

Xbox 360

★ '2005'

★
★ ''Every Party'' '(Japan Only)'

★
★ ''

★
★ ''Perfect Dark Zero''

★
★ ''Project Gotham Racing 3''

★ '2006'

★
★ ''Gears of War''

★
★ ''Ninety-Nine Nights''

★
★ ''Viva Piñata''

★
★ ''Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1''

★ '2007'

★
★ ''Blue Dragon''

★
★ ''Crackdown''

★
★ ''Forza Motorsport 2''

★
★ ''Fuzion Frenzy 2''

★
★ ''Project Sylpheed'' '(Co-published with Square Enix)'

★
★ ''ShadowRun''

★
★ ''Tenchu Z''

★
★ ''Vampire Rain''

★ 'Announced for 2007'

★
★ ''Halo 3''

★
★ ''Mass Effect''

★
★ ''Project Gotham Racing 4''

★
★ ''Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action''

★
★ ''

★ 'Announced for 2008'

★
★ ''

★
★ ''Lost Odyssey''

★
★ ''Marvel Universe Online''

★ 'Announced - Unknown Release Date'

★
★ ''Alan Wake''

★
★ ''Banjo-Kazooie 3''

★
★ ''Fable 2''

★
★ ''Halo Wars''

★
★ ''Infinite Undiscovery''

★
★ ''Too Human''

★
★ ''Untitled Halo Project''

Xbox Live Arcade

★ '2005'

★
★ ''Hexic HD''

★ '2006'

★
★ ''Small Arms''

★
★ ''TotemBall''

★
★ ''UNO''

★ '2007'

★
★ ''Aegis Wing''

★
★ ''Eets:Chowdown''

★
★ ''Hexic 2''

★
★ ''Jetpac Refuelled''

★
★ ''

★ 'Announced for 2007'

★
★ ''Tetris Splash''

External links

★ Microsoft Game Studios official site

★ Microsoft's Official Xbox Site

★ ''Microsoft Game Studios'' profile on MobyGames

★ [6]