Microsoft Studios rebrands as Xbox Game Studios

13 studios under one metaphorical roof

2018 was quite the eventful year for Microsoft Studios. The division ushered numerous high-profile game studios under its umbrella including Playground Games (Forza Horizon), inXile Entertainment (Wasteland), Ninja Theory (Hellblade ), and Obsidian Entertainment (Fallout: New Vegas).

Microsoft Studios stands at “13 distinct and diverse game development teams,” and with this new lineup, a rebranding was in order. Going forward, the organization will be called Xbox Game Studios.

What’s the reasoning? “As we’ve expanded our focus beyond the console, the Xbox brand has also evolved from its original roots,” said corporate vice president Matt Booty. “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.”

While it’ll take years for us to see how all of Microsoft’s acquisitions pan out, in general terms, it’s encouraging to see the company invest more in gaming. I’m also a fan of the slightly shorter name.