What are Xbox Game Studios working on - A look at their studios
Xbox Game Studios made a name for themselves a few years back, when they bought like 9 studios in a single year, they then said that they would be mostly hands off with them, leaving deals in place and games to launch on other platforms.
A lot of the strategy since then hasn’t changed, let the studios do what they do best, support where needed and a great example of that, is with the delay of Halo Infinite, right from before the launch of the Xbox Series X|S. The number of studios that they have is crazy and they are always getting smaller teams to make content for them as well, so while the list below is a good indicator of what is happening, it isn’t the full picture.
343 Industries
Series known to them: Halo series
With 343 Industries just shipping Halo Infinite last December and them still working on the co-op and Forge modes for the game, it highly unlikely we will see a new game from them anytime soon. Of course, Halo Infinite will continue to see content coming over the next year and likely beyond, but that is all know.
The Halo Master Chief Collection is pretty complete now, it would only grow if they added Halo 5 Guardians to the mix, but even then, most of that work has been outsourced to other studios, so for now, consider 343 Industries and their 700+ staff, off the board.
The Coalition
Series known to them: Gear of War series
Gears of War 5, better known as Gears 5 released back in 2019 and while the 200 or so strong studio did keep the game alive with content, they haven’t released a full game in a while. We did see Gears 5 get a Xbox Series X|S update back in November 2020 and the team have been helping Epic Games with some Unreal work, including that fancy Matrix tech demo.
2020’s release of Gears Tactics was overseen by The Coalition, but the bulk of the work was done outside of the studio, which means that for a few years now, the team may have been percolating on something new. The question remains though, is this something new or are we just look at Gears 6, maybe 2022 will be the year we find out.
Compulsion Games
Series known to them: We Happy Few
After the release of 2018’s We Happy Few, Compulsion Games had an explosion of change, with Xbox Game Studios buying them out and then, their reported headcount doubling, the problem is since then, it has been pretty quiet from the Montreal based developer, their last social post was over 2 years ago now.
Naila Hadjas from Compulsion Games has said that the team are working on a new narrative game and that it is unlikely to have any sort of early access release, but outside of that, there is little we know. Given that the studio is likely to keep things quiet, until they are ready to fully unveil, I wouldn’t expect anything from them until E3 at the earliest.
Double Fine Productions
Series known to them: Psychonauts series, Brutal Legend, Broken Age
If Xbox Game Studios had a single developer that you couldn’t predict what they would do next, it would be Double Fine Productions, their games have been a mix of all new and restoring of classic titles and a smattering of helping smaller games get published in between.
While the studio just shipped their recent game, Psychonauts 2 last year, after almost six years in development, between the reveal of it and then, they also saw five other games release, some all new and some were LucasArts games, remastered for modern platforms. The studio is not large, barely hitting 70 staff, but they are very talented, so hearing from them this year is likely, especially with their Day of the Devs event, but as for a full new game, that is not likely to happen.
The Initiative
Series known to them: Perfect Dark reboot
This is the most recent studio to start up making games and while early reports were saying they were going to reboot the Perfect Dark series, we got confirmation of that back in 2019 at The Game Awards. The studio has quickly built a team of around 70, including folks who have worked on Tomb Raider, God of War, Red Dead Redemption and more.
Last year we got word that they had partnered with Crystal Dynamics, known for Tomb Raider and the recent Marvel’s Avengers, to help bring Joanna Dark back to gamers, but as we have no details about how far the game is in development, we can’t really gauge when it might release. It is likely we will get an update sometime soon, but I wouldn’t expect it to release this year.
inXile Entertainment
Series known to them: Wasteland series
One of the two big RPG studios that Xbox Game Studios picked up a few years back, the team at inXile Entertainment have been kinda flying low, releasing Wasteland 3, along with publisher Deep Silver. While that game released back in 2020 and did see some updates hit in 2021, the studio is reportedly working on another RPG title.
The studio is based in California, but also has a second team based in New Orleans, so odds of them showing something off this year is quite high, the question is, will this be an all new IP, another entry in the Wastelanders series, or perhaps The Bard’s Tale is due for another chapter.
Mojang Studios
Series known to them: Minecraft series
Mojang are working on more Minecraft, there really isn’t much to say about the studio. While they do have a few hundred developers working for them, the last reported number was around 600, their mine Minecraft releases and the popular spin-off Dungeons will keep them busy for quite a while.
While Dungeons was developed by another studio, there is always the chance we see another spin-off, like that game, announced this year and it could also be possible to see the Minecraft Story Mode titles get a remastering, or a sequel, though that is in the single digits, chance wise. For now, expect more Minecraft content updates, RTX enhancements and community events, because it is working for them.
Ninja Theory
Series known to them: Heavenly Sword, Hellblade series
Ninja Theory are a studio that likes to reinvent itself every few years, sometimes its a cost thing, other times it is to refresh things, but the pattern was broken when they released Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. While that did release back in 2017, we know that the team behind it have been hard at work on the sequel to it, with our most recent look coming back in December 2021.
Between the two games though, we also got the unique and already dead Bleeding Edge, a character fighter game that showcased the studios unique combat prowess. The studio has also, in years past, picked up some work for other companies, like the Devil May Cry reboot DmC, along with Star Wars: Vader Immortal. Given that they tend to have smaller teams working on things all at once, they might have something else brewing in the background, but 2022 is likely going to be all about Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.
Obsidian Entertainment
Series known to them: Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity series, Outer World series, Avowed
Much like Mojang and their Minecraft situation, we already known what Obsidian Entertainment are working on, Grounded is still out in early access, The Outer Worlds 2 was announced back at E3 2021 and before that, we got a teaser trailer for Avowed, an all new RPG. Last year also saw Skyforge, the MMO the team developed released for Switch, so they have been quite busy.
If any game is released this year, expect it to be Grounded, the game has been in early access for around 18 months now and has been making good progress. We are likely to get an update on Avowed, but nothing for Outer Worlds 2 though, as the team working on that, will be the last to have started active development.
Playground Games
Series known to them: Forza Horizon series, Fable reboot
Normally, we would say that as Playground Games just shipped Forza Horizon 5, give them a few years and they will be back, but a few years ago, they started up a second site and essentially doubled their workforce and began to work on a Fable reboot.
While the studio has a few hundred folks working for them, we don’t know the split for those working on Horizon vs those on Fable, but given we only got official confirmation last year that the reboot is happening, don’t expect it this year, though an update on development at E3 2022, is likely. In the meantime Horizon 5 is going to keep getting content, much like Horizon 4 did and of course the team will help out Turn 10 with their Forza project.
Rare
Series known to them: Banjo-Kazooie series, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Sea of Thieves, Everwild
Rare may not be the powerhouse studio that they once were, but there is no denying they have a certain charm about them still, while Sea of Thieves launched to a choppy reception, that was a sea related joke, the studio stuck with it and have started to create some very worthwhile content of late.
Back in 2019 the studio announced their next title, Everwild and while development is ongoing, it has been reported to not be as smooth as many hoped. While 2018 saw a revival of Battletoads and The Initiative is working on the Perfect Dark reboot, Rare have no hands in active development for either project, so for now, high seas seem to be all we are going to get in 2022 from the 200+ strong company.
Turn 10 Studios
Series known to them: Forza Motorsport series
Much like Mojang, Turn 10 Studios make one thing and one thing only, Forza Motorsport and while over the years they have actively helped make the Horizon games and the mobile spin-off Forza Street, the main team have been rebuilding everything since 2017’s Forza Motorsport 7 released.
It has been 18 months since we got confirmation of a new entry in the mainline Motorsport series and while many expected it to launch back with the Xbox Series X|S, that proved not to be the case. Given it will be five years in 2022 since the last mainline entry, odds of seeing this next title released this year are strong, especially as an October release.
Undead Labs
Series known to them: State of Decay series
We know that Undead Labs is making State of Decay 3, that was confirmed back in mid-2021, the catch is that we have no idea how far along in development the game is. While the studio has spun up a second site, aimed at Unreal Engine 5 development and support and the studio found Jeff Strain left last year, they have mostly been quiet.
Will we see State of Decay 3 release this year, it is unlikely, but hearing about it some more, that is a very likely scenario, more so as work on State of Decay 2 has been completed for a while now.
World's Edge
Series known to them: Age of Empires series
This studio isn’t really a studio, but they do overseas the Age of Empires series, over the past few years we have had Age of Empires, Age of Empires 2 and Age of Empires 3 all get remastered and of course Age of Empires 4 released last year. The odds of seeing another game anytime soon, is very slim, however the series has been know to release an expansion or two.
While the older games did get some new content as well, there has been confirmation that the game will get some post launch content, there is just no confirmation on what form it will take.
So there you go, a run down of all the current Xbox Game Studios members, including what we know and suspect they are working on. Do you think we are right on our predictions, or are we missing something else? Be sure to let us know
