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129-517: AQ Interactive, Inc. was a Japanese video game developer and publisher . AQ stands for Artistic Quality. It was the parent company of the developers Artoon , Cavia and feelplus , and most recently the U.S. publisher Xseed Games . AQ Interactive and its subsidiaries produced games both under the AQ Interactive name, as well as developing for other publishers such as Microsoft Studios (now Xbox Game Studios) and Nintendo . AQ Interactive

258-661: A Senate Finance Committee hearing featuring U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai , Senator Cantwell highlighted concerns about high-end game market in Japan, asserting that PlayStation holds a 98% monopoly in this sector in Japan. Cantwell expressed disapproval of what was characterized as Sony's anti-competitive behavior facilitated by exclusive deals and payments to game publishers. The senator further criticized Japan Fair Trade Commission for purportedly neglecting to investigate Sony's conduct, referring to it as "exclusionary." Cantwell sought insights into how Japan aimed to establish

387-593: A database , Voice over IP , or add-in interface software; this is also known as middleware . Examples of this include SpeedTree and Havoc . Independents are software developers which are not owned by (or dependent on) a single publisher. Some of these developers self-publish their games, relying on the Internet and word of mouth for publicity. Without the large marketing budgets of mainstream publishers, their products may receive less recognition than those of larger publishers such as Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo. With

516-417: A "level playing field" in response to these perceived issues. Microsoft Gaming manages numerous software services, including Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming , Xbox Network , Microsoft Store , and Battle.net . The Xbox Network experienced substantial growth, with 120 million monthly active players as of December 2022, marking a notable increase from 46 million at the beginning of 2016. By July 30, 2024,

645-465: A 30% market share as of 2023. At a bilateral trade discussion between the United States and Japan, United States senator Maria Cantwell from Washington raised concerns regarding what she perceived as a dominant market position held by PlayStation. The senator specifically highlighted the perceived monopoly by PlayStation and expressed support for Xbox as a competitive alternative. During

774-451: A Microsoft HR investigation, Schlosser was subsequently removed from her role. Despite her departure, the persisting toxic work environment led to a significant turnover of experienced staff. The amalgamation of these issues, coupled with a lack of a clear design direction, resulted in substantial delays in the development of State of Decay 3. Employees also pointed fingers at Microsoft for not promptly addressing reports of abuse, claiming that

903-472: A broader value proposition to gamers through a subscription service that provided access to a vast library of games. In 2017, Spencer was named Executive Vice President, Gaming at Microsoft. In 2019, as part of a larger branding, MGS was renamed to Xbox Game Studios (XGS) as to align with the Xbox hardware branding, and further acquired Double Fine . Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media for $ 8.1 billion in 2020,

1032-499: A competitive presence in the evolving landscape of virtual environments. According to Microsoft, this acquisition is not solely about expanding Microsoft's gaming portfolio but also about leveraging Activision Blizzard's established franchises to enhance the overall gaming experience. The move aligns with industry trends where companies are exploring ways to create immersive and interconnected virtual worlds, combining social interactions with in-game purchases. Microsoft has been observing

1161-452: A culture of "toxic geek masculinity" within the workplace. In addition, the conditions behind crunch time are far more discriminating towards women as this requires them to commit time exclusively to the company or to more personal activities like raising a family. These factors established conditions within some larger development studios where female developers have found themselves discriminated in workplace hiring and promotion, as well as

1290-571: A first-party company. As a balance to not being able to release their game for other platforms, second-party developers are usually offered higher royalty rates than third-party developers. These studios may have exclusive publishing agreements (or other business relationships) with the platform holder, but maintain independence so that upon completion or termination of their contracts, they are able to continue developing games for other publishers if they choose to. For example, while HAL Laboratory initially began developing games on personal computers like

1419-410: A fixed period and generally work similar hours as full-time staff members, assisting across all areas of video game development, but as contractors, do not get any benefits such as paid time-off or health care from the employer; they also are typically not credited on games that they work on for this reason. The practice itself is legal and common in other engineering and technology areas, and generally it

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1548-403: A game on schedule. The complexity of workflow, reliance on third-party deliverables, and the intangibles of artistic and aesthetic demands in video game creation create difficulty in predicting milestones. The use of crunch time is also seen to be exploitative of the younger male-dominated workforce in video games, who have not had the time to establish a family and who were eager to advance within

1677-406: A game's profits. Current examples of first-party studios include PlayStation Studios for Sony, and Xbox Game Studios for Microsoft Gaming . Second-party developer is a colloquial term often used by gaming enthusiasts and media to describe game studios that take development contracts from platform holders and develop games exclusive to that platform, i.e. a non-owned developer making games for

1806-495: A limited number of video game publishing efforts. With the announcement of the first Xbox in 2000 and its release in 2001, Microsoft established a division for internal development of video games for the Xbox and Windows, then known as Microsoft Game Studios (MGS). The Xbox hardware remained a separate division within Microsoft. After Steve Ballmer 's departure as Microsoft's CEO, Microsoft investors attempted to exert pressure on

1935-695: A more aggressive multiplatform strategy. In September 2024, Spencer announced another round of layoffs affecting 650 staffers in "corporate and supporting functions" following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In an interview with Bloomberg News in November 2024, Phil Spencer expressed a desire to continue acquiring studios, specifically taking interest in Chinese developers and partnerships with mobile game publishers similar to their relationship with Tencent Games , whom they collaborated with to produce Age of Empires Mobile . Spencer also confirmed that

2064-508: A new acquisition strategy, starting with the acquisition of Mojang Studios , the developer of Minecraft , for $ 2.5 billion. Between 2014 and 2019, MGS also acquired several high profile studios, including Ninja Theory , Playground Games , Obsidian Entertainment and inXile Entertainment . These acquisitions were aimed to help position MGS as the company's premier first-party development house comparable to PlayStation Studios for Sony . Microsoft launched Xbox Game Pass in 2017, marking

2193-416: A new advertising campaign titled "This is an Xbox", intent on showcasing the various compatible devices that can access Xbox games and services beyond the traditional consoles, such as Windows PCs, Samsung Smart TV sets, and streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV through cloud streaming. Xbox Senior Marketing Director Craig McNary stated that the campaign's message was to illustrate "the evolution of Xbox as

2322-503: A new storefront in the mobile game industry to rival Apple and Google and break the mobile duopoly. In 2023, Bloomberg reported that Microsoft Gaming is in talks with video game publishers for a partnership to launch a mobile store aimed at competing with Google Play and App Store in the mobile gaming market. In 2024, Sarah Bond announced that Microsoft Gaming would be launching its own mobile game store in July of that year, starting with

2451-736: A notable presence at events such as E3 and Summer Game Fest in the United States, Gamescom in Germany, Paris Games Week in France, the Tokyo Game Show in Japan, and CCXP in Brazil. The company organizes major gaming conventions such as BlizzCon and QuakeCon , and also have other shows, including Developers Direct , Xbox Partner Preview , Xbox Games Showcase , Inside Xbox and Xbox X0 . Phil Spencer emphasized that participating in large gaming expos and maintaining transparency

2580-407: A number of acquisitions of studios to help build out the Xbox software library over its first decade, including Bungie , Lionhead Studios , and Rare while establishing internal studios 343 Industries for Halo development and Turn 10 Studios for Forza games. In 2014 after Satya Nadella was promoted to CEO (combined with the ascension of Phil Spencer to head of Xbox), Microsoft embarked on

2709-597: A pivotal year in which the company reevaluated its strategy to focus on a service-based business model rather than exclusive titles. This strategic shift allowed Microsoft to distinguish itself from other console manufacturers . By prioritizing a service-oriented business model with the Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft differentiated its approach from traditional console strategies that often relied heavily on exclusive game titles to attract users. Instead of competing solely based on exclusive content, Microsoft aimed to offer

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2838-602: A platform that extends across devices," thus being evocative of a future where their games and content are accessible on a variety of hardware and software. Microsoft Gaming develops and produces the Xbox line of home gaming consoles along with associated peripherals. The company supports the consoles with online services, utilizing the base Xbox network . Since the late 2010s, Microsoft began combining its standard paid subscription service, originally known as Xbox Live Gold, with Xbox Game Pass , which in addition to online multiplayer and matchmaking support, provides subscribers with

2967-437: A position in a medium to large video game company. An experienced game-development employee, depending on their expertise and experience, averaged roughly $ 73,000 in 2007. Indie game developers may only earn between $ 10,000 and $ 50,000 a year depending on how financially successful their titles are. In addition to being part of the software industry, game development is also within the entertainment industry; most sectors of

3096-783: A rotating library of games to play through the Xbox, on Windows computers, or through cloud gaming . Among the video game franchises owned by Microsoft Gaming include Call of Duty , Halo , Minecraft , Warcraft , Diablo , StarCraft , Overwatch , The Elder Scrolls , Fallout , Crash Bandicoot , Spyro , Banjo-Kazooie , Battletoads , Killer Instinct , Perfect Dark , Doom , Wolfenstein , Quake , Dishonored , Pillars of Eternity , Wasteland , State of Decay , Hellblade , Gears of War , The Evil Within , Fable , Forza , Tony Hawk's , Guitar Hero , Skylanders , Microsoft Flight Simulator , Age of Empires and Candy Crush . The business isn’t how many consoles you sell. The business

3225-649: A roundtable discussion with the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), the professional association for developers. Statements made by the IGDA's current executive director Jen MacLean relating to IGDA's activities had been seen by as anti-union, and Game Workers Unite desired to start a conversation to lay out the need for developers to unionize. In the wake of the sudden near-closure of Telltale Games in September 2018,

3354-543: A significant part of Microsoft's gaming strategy. In 2022, Microsoft announces Xbox Game Pass surpassed 25 million subscribers. Microsoft Gaming is investing over $ 1 billion in the gaming market annually to expand the Game Pass library by bringing in third-party games. By February 15, 2024, the number of Xbox Game Pass subscribers reached 34 million. Microsoft Gaming launched Xbox Cloud Gaming for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on September 15, 2020. Xbox Cloud Gaming

3483-583: A significant position in the multiplayer gaming, serving as one of the leading publishers of multiplayer and live-service games along with Take-Two Interactive , Electronic Arts and Tencent . Popular multiplayer titles under Microsoft Gaming's umbrella include Minecraft , Sea of Thieves , Grounded , Call of Duty: Warzone , World of Warcraft , Hearthstone , Overwatch 2 , Diablo IV , The Elder Scrolls Online , Fallout 76 , Halo Infinite , State of Decay 2 , and many others. Microsoft Gaming has had difficulties finding success in

3612-565: A single division. With the completion of the Activision Blizzard acquisition in 2023, Microsoft became one of the largest gaming companies, the third- by revenue and the largest by employment . The division owns intellectual property for some of the most popular, best-selling , and highest-grossing media franchises of all time, including Call of Duty , Candy Crush , Warcraft , Halo , Minecraft , and The Elder Scrolls . Up through 2000, Microsoft had only

3741-407: A single publisher; one canceled game may devastate a small developer. Because of this, many small development companies are short-lived. A common exit strategy for a successful video game developer is to sell the company to a publisher, becoming an in-house developer. In-house development teams tend to have more freedom in game design and content than third-party developers. One reason is that since

3870-487: A statement, claimed that Activision Blizzard had already been planning to eliminate a significant number of jobs while still operating independently, and that these layoffs are unrelated to the merger. After several studio closures, multiple Microsoft employees and video game journalists criticized Microsoft for its decision. Dinga Bakaba, the studio head of Arkane Lyon , publicly criticized Microsoft Gaming executives for their decision to close several studios. He emphasized

3999-515: A strategic partnership focused on expanding the availability of NetEase video games across various Microsoft Gaming platforms. Microsoft Gaming shut down three development studios on May 7, 2024: Alpha Dog Games in Canada, Arkane Austin in the US, and Tango Gameworks in Japan. Additionally, Roundhouse Studios will merge with ZeniMax Online Studios in the US. According to Microsoft Gaming, this move

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4128-403: A strong STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) background for women at the secondary education level, but there are issues with tertiary education such as at colleges and universities, where game development programs tend to reflect the male-dominated demographics of the industry, a factor that may lead women with strong STEM backgrounds to choose other career goals. There

4257-697: A unique case where nearly all parts of its labor force, including white-collar jobs such as video game development, may engage with labor unions under the Employment Protection Act often through collective bargaining agreements. Developer DICE had reached its union agreements in 2004. Paradox Interactive became one of the first major publishers to support unionization efforts in June 2020 with its own agreements to cover its Swedish employees within two labor unions Unionen and SACO . In Australia, video game developers could join other unions, but

4386-415: A web-based version before expanding further. The store will initially showcase its first-party portfolio, featuring popular titles such as Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft . Subsequently, it will welcome other publishers to join. Microsoft entered the home video game console market in 2001 with release of the first-generation Xbox . It since has manufactured three successive systems, as of 2023, as part of

4515-459: Is Microsoft's cloud gaming service designed to allow users to play high-quality video games via streaming on a variety of devices. The service uses cloud technology to enable gaming on devices such as smartphones, tablets and PCs without the need for high-end hardware. Microsoft Gaming oversees the management and licensing of its gaming franchises to external production studios. The division has expressed that these partnerships are aimed at bringing

4644-426: Is a part of a larger "reprioritization of titles and resources" that Microsoft's gaming division is carrying out. The intention is to boost investment in their library of games and new intellectual assets while focusing on high-impact titles. Some teams have been reassigned to other projects inside Bethesda and ZeniMax, and production on some games has stopped as a result of these companies closing. In June 2024 during

4773-482: Is also a significant gap in racial minorities within the video game industry; a 2019 IGDA survey found only 2% of developers considered themselves to be of African descent and 7% Hispanic, while 81% were Caucasian; in contrast, 2018 estimates from the United States Census estimate the U.S. population to be 13% of African descent and 18% Hispanic. In a 2014 and 2015 survey of job positions and salaries,

4902-766: Is crucial for Microsoft Gaming, emphasizing that they will not compel a video game studio to create a sequel. Microsoft Gaming will support developers in making whatever they want. Microsoft Gaming's video game development business holds a strong position in the video game industry, regularly developing widely played titles. In certain video game genres such as first-person shooter (FPS) and role-playing games (RPG), Microsoft Gaming has held market dominance, owning popular FPS franchises like Call of Duty , Halo , Doom , Quake , Rage , and Overwatch , as well as RPG franchises such as The Elder Scrolls , Fallout , Fable , Pillars of Eternity , Wasteland , Warcraft , and Diablo . Starfield has become

5031-464: Is defined as the combined total of console hardware, console game content, and console subscriptions. As of 2023, with a 45% market share in PlayStation system hardware, games, and services, Sony remains the worldwide industry leader, followed by Nintendo with a 27.7% market share and Microsoft with a 27.3% market share. Sony has a 70% share of the global high-end console market, while Microsoft has

5160-580: Is essential to connect with their business partners, fans, consumers and various gaming communities, showcase their latest innovations, and engage with fans on a global scale. Following the troubled launch of Redfall , Phil Spencer, in an interview with Kinda Funny Games , has apologized to the fans and pledged to provide a more robust roadmap for releasing high-quality games. Microsoft Gaming has faced criticism from video game journalists and industry observers regarding its strategic acquisitions. The company's move to acquire major gaming publishers, including

5289-449: Is expected that this is meant to lead into a full-time position, or otherwise the end of the contract. But more recently, its use in the video game industry has been compared to Microsoft 's past use of " permatemp ", contract workers that were continually renewed and treated for all purposes as employees but received no benefits. While Microsoft has waned from the practice, the video game industry has adapted it more frequently. Around 10% of

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5418-533: Is generally illegal, companies often target their oldest workers first during layoffs or other periods of reduction. Older developers with experience may find themselves too qualified for the types of positions that other game development companies seek given the salaries and compensations offered. Some of the larger video game developers and publishers have also engaged contract workers through agencies to help add manpower in game development in part to alleviate crunch time from employees. Contractors are brought on for

5547-422: Is how many players are playing the games that they buy, how they play. —Phil Spencer on Xbox's business Microsoft Gaming's strategy in the video game industry is characterized by a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. The company aims to reach a wider audience and meet different gaming preferences by publishing games on mobile , PC and Xbox platforms . At the center of Microsoft Gaming's strategy

5676-438: Is most affected by layoffs. Project Odyssey , a game that Blizzard Entertainment has reportedly been working on for six years, has been cancelled. Toys for Bob and Sledgehammer Games reportedly lost over 30% of their staff due to layoffs. Microsoft Gaming also reportedly laid off the entire internal customer support team of Activision Blizzard and the team dedicated to bringing Xbox games to physical retail. Johanna Faries,

5805-491: Is selling consoles at a loss, losing $ 200 per unit sold. However, Microsoft Gaming is compensating for this loss by taking a 30% cut from sales of third-party games on its platform. Microsoft and Sony have been longstanding rivals in the console hardware market since 2001. The competition reached a peak during the seventh console generation, with the Xbox 360 emerging as the primary competitor to Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3). In

5934-494: Is still their primary activity they are generally described as "publishers" rather than "developers". Developers may be private as well. In the video game industry , a first-party developer is part of a company that manufactures a video game console and develops mainly for it. First-party developers may use the name of the company itself (such as Nintendo ), have a specific division name (such as Sony's Polyphony Digital ) or have been an independent studio before being acquired by

6063-487: Is the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. This service offers a variety of game libraries for a monthly fee, emphasizing a shift towards a content-first platform. Microsoft Gaming's chief financial officer (CFO), Tim Stuart, has asserted that Microsoft ceased disclosing the number of consoles sold in 2016 because their focus shifted towards content, services, and increased customer spending. Phil Spencer has expressed that his vision for Xbox has consistently aimed at shifting

6192-491: Is to expand the games with big communities. Phil addresses the gaming industry's stagnation, acknowledging its impact on job cuts and tough decisions within companies. He emphasizes the necessity of industry growth for sustainability, advocating for a focus on expanding the player base rather than solely maximizing revenue from existing players. By prioritizing Xbox's growth through attracting new players and supporting creators, Phil aims to ensure long-term strength and success for

6321-474: Is usually conducted in a casual business environment, with t-shirts and sandals as common work attire. Many workers find this type of environment rewarding and pleasant professionally and personally. However, the industry also requires long working hours from its employees (sometimes to an extent seen as unsustainable). Employee burnout is not uncommon. An entry-level programmer can make, on average, over $ 66,000 annually only if they are successful in obtaining

6450-659: The AFL–CIO writing an open letter to video game developers encouraging them to unionize. In January 2020, Game Workers Unite and the Communications Workers of America established a new campaign to push for unionization of video game developers, the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE), in January 2020. Initial efforts for CODE were aimed to determine what approach to unionization would be best suited for

6579-1142: The Artoon , feelplus , Cavia web sites into a single AQI Development product page. On March 31, 2011, AQ Interactive, Inc. announced merging its software and amusement business departments into consumer business department. On June 23, 2011, AQ Interactive, Inc. announced its merger with Marvelous Entertainment and Liveware, effective on October 1, 2011. The following are games developed and/or published by AQ Interactive. Video game developer A developer may specialize in specific game engines or specific video game consoles , or may develop for several systems (including personal computers and mobile devices ). Some focus on porting games from one system to another, or translating games from one language to another. Less commonly, some do software development work in addition to games. Most video game publishers maintain development studios (such as Electronic Arts 's EA Canada , Square Enix 's studios, Activision 's Radical Entertainment , Nintendo EPD and Sony's Polyphony Digital and Naughty Dog ). However, since publishing

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6708-664: The California Civil Rights Department on behalf of women employed by the company. Activision Blizzard also agreed to take steps to ensure “fair pay and promotion practices” at the company. On December 5, 2023, 300 quality assurance (QA) workers at ZeniMax Media announced that they were organizing a union. In June 2023, Microsoft and the Communication Workers of America (CWA) announced a labor neutrality agreement. This agreement enabled Activision Blizzard employees to freely establish

6837-456: The International Game Developers Association (IGDA), are conducting increasing discussions about the problem; they are concerned that working conditions in the industry cause a significant deterioration in employees' quality of life. Some video game developers and publishers have been accused of the excessive invocation of "crunch time". "Crunch time" is the point at which the team is thought to be failing to achieve milestones needed to launch

6966-516: The MSX , they became one of the earliest second-party developers for Nintendo, developing exclusively for Nintendo's consoles starting with the Famicom, though they would self-publish their mobile games. A third-party developer may also publish games, or work for a video game publisher to develop a title. Both publisher and developer have considerable input in the game's design and content. However,

7095-465: The Me Too movement and have tried to address the symptoms of these problems industry-wide, the video game industry has yet to have its Me Too-moment, even as late as 2021. There also tends to be pay-related discrimination against women in the industry. According to Gamasutra 's Game Developer Salary Survey 2014, women in the United States made 86 cents for every dollar men made. Game designing women had

7224-688: The Minecraft animated television series, to be produced by WildBrain ; the Gears of War live-action feature film as well as its adult animated spin-off series, to be produced by Netflix ; the Grounded animated television series, to be produced by Bardel Entertainment ; and others. The division also manages the motion picture production company Activision Blizzard Studios . In terms of international engagement, Microsoft Gaming has actively participated in key gaming expos worldwide. The company has been

7353-504: The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union doing work for video games struck several major publishers, demanding better royalty payments and provisions related to the safety of their vocal performances, when their union's standard contract was up for renewal. The voice actor strike lasted for over 300 days into 2017 before a new deal was made between SAG-AFTRA and

7482-473: The Xbox video game consoles and services, in addition to overseeing production and sales, and is led by CEO Phil Spencer , who has overseen Xbox since 2014. Prior to 2022, Microsoft had several different video game-related product lines, including Xbox hardware, Xbox operations, and game development studios. Microsoft Gaming was created with the announcement of Microsoft's plans to acquire Activision Blizzard to unify all of Microsoft's gaming groups within

7611-543: The Xbox brand. Microsoft's latest gaming hardware, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S , were released in November 2020. The Series X is a high-performance console with powerful hardware for native 4K gaming, while the Series S offers a more affordable option with a focus on digital gaming at lower resolutions. Xbox Series X/S consoles sold 21 million units in total by 2023. Phil Spencer emphasized that Microsoft Gaming

7740-402: The Xbox 360 launch title Tetris: The Grand Master ACE . On March 12, 2009, AQ Interactive, Inc. announced relocating its headquarters to Shinagawa, Tokyo , between June and August 2009. On March 26, 2009, AQ Interactive, Inc. announced the establishment of its mobile contents and overseas business divisions, effective on April 1, 2009. In August 2010, AQ Interactive merged and relocated

7869-610: The third-person shooter (TPS) and single-player genre, finding it difficult to compete with industry leaders like Sony , Take-Two Interactive, Nintendo, Capcom , and Square Enix in this space. Despite intense efforts, the company faced difficulties in establishing itself and gaining the same level of recognition and market share as its competitors. This competitive landscape presented challenging obstacles that prompted Microsoft Gaming to re-evaluate their strategy and potentially explore other genres or approaches to improve their market position. Microsoft Gaming attempted to gain traction in

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7998-851: The video game industry . He told the Los Angeles Times : "Someone who was part of the co-creation of that world and those characters isn't getting a credit or a nickel for the work they put into it. Maybe we need unions in the video game industry to be able to protect creators." Microsoft Gaming Microsoft Gaming is an American multinational video game and digital entertainment division of Microsoft based in Redmond, Washington established in 2022. Its five development and publishing labels consist of: Xbox Game Studios , Bethesda Softworks (publisher of ZeniMax Media ), Activision , Blizzard Entertainment , and King (the latter three are publishers of Activision Blizzard ). It produces

8127-580: The Great Circle (2024) from Bethesda and MachineGames , which was originally announced as an Xbox Series X/S console exclusive , would launch on PlayStation 5 in Spring 2025 following its Xbox and PC launch in December 2024. On the decision to pursue a PS5 release for the title after initially amending the licensing terms with Lucasfilm to exclude the platform from distribution plans, Spencer cited

8256-446: The IGDA found that people of color were both underrepresented in senior management roles as well as underpaid in comparison to white developers. Further, because video game developers typically draw from personal experiences in building game characters, this diversity gap has led to few characters of racial minority to be featured as main characters within video games. Minority developers have also been harassed from external groups due to

8385-494: The Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft announced that the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages (2025) from id Software would launch simultaneously on multiple platforms, with Spencer detailing that the decision to develop a PS5 version stemmed from the series' prior multiplatform history and persuasion from the developers. Jerret West, Xbox's chief marketing officer , left Microsoft Gaming at the end of June 2024. West led

8514-484: The acquisition of Activision Blizzard , stated it supported these unionization efforts. After this acquisition, the employees of Bethesda Game Studios , part of Zenimax under Microsoft, unionized under the Communications Workers of America (CWA) in July 2024. Over 500 employees within Blizzard Entertainment 's World of Warcraft division also unionized with CWA that same month. Sweden presents

8643-438: The acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming doubled the number of video game employees, studios and its revenue with the addition of Activision Blizzard to the company. In 2023, during an interview with Famitsu , Phil Spencer announced that, leveraging Activision Blizzard's capabilities, they are now planning to release a first-party video game every three months. Phil Spencer also talked about how creative freedom

8772-572: The advent of digital distribution of inexpensive games on game consoles, it is now possible for indie game developers to forge agreements with console manufacturers for broad distribution of their games. Other indie game developers create game software for a number of video-game publishers on several gaming platforms. In recent years this model has been in decline; larger publishers, such as Electronic Arts and Activision, increasingly turn to internal studios (usually former independent developers acquired for their development needs). Video game development

8901-573: The beloved gaming universes to a wider audience through the medium of television. Licensed completed works or those in production include the following: the Halo television series, produced by Showtime Networks and released in 2022; the Fallout television series, produced by Amazon MGM Studios and released in 2024; the Minecraft feature film, produced by Warner Bros. with a release in 2025;

9030-525: The biggest Bethesda game launch of all time. Eleven of the twelve best-selling video games released in the United States in the last thirteen years were from the Call of Duty franchise. Microsoft also has a strong presence in the real-time strategy (RTS) sub-genre, platformer genre and racing game genre with popular franchises such as Age of Empires , StarCraft , Crash Bandicoot , Spyro , Banjo-Kazooie , and Forza . Microsoft Gaming holds

9159-402: The brand's focus from being primarily console-centric to becoming a content-first platform, with a strong emphasis on prioritizing player engagement over sheer console sales. Phil Spencer expressed his viewpoint by stating that the essence of the business lies not in the quantity of consoles sold but in the number of players actively participating in and enjoying the games they acquire, as well as

9288-431: The closest equity, making 96 cents for every dollar men made in the same job, while audio professional women had the largest gap, making 68% of what men in the same position made. Increasing the representation of women in the video game industry required breaking a feedback loop of the apparent lack of female representation in the production of video games and in the content of video games. Efforts have been made to provide

9417-453: The company fell short of its diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives. There have also been concerns about whether Microsoft will address the toxic work environment at Activision Blizzard following the acquisition. Microsoft pledged to address the toxic workplace environment at Activision Blizzard after the acquisition. On December 16, 2023, Activision Blizzard agreed to pay approximately $ 54 million to settle discrimination claims brought by

9546-523: The company to either sell or shut down its gaming business. However, these efforts did not gain significant traction. Microsoft's gaming division, including products such as the Xbox console, has remained a strategic focus for the company. Under the leadership of Satya Nadella , who assumed the role of CEO in 2014, Microsoft has continued to invest in and expand its presence in the gaming market. Since 2009, Microsoft's games operations, including Xbox division, are located at Microsoft West Campus . MGS made

9675-595: The company was prototyping a possible handheld Xbox console, though stressed that "such a device is a few years out." Spencer commented on Microsoft Gaming's efforts to establish a first-party Xbox storefront for mobile devices amidst ongoing conflicts with platform holders such as Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc. , who respectively control the App Store and Google Play , saying that he envisions an environment where such companies are more open to hosting Xbox's content in co-existence with their marketplaces. He also addressed

9804-409: The company's ongoing plans to publish their first-party games on competing platforms such as PlayStation and Nintendo consoles, stating that he did not see "red lines" in their franchise portfolio with regards to games considered for release on such systems, but that certain tentpole franchises like Halo had not reached a consensus at this early stage. During the month, Microsoft Gaming launched

9933-416: The console manufacturer (such as Rare or Naughty Dog ). Whether by purchasing an independent studio or by founding a new team, the acquisition of a first-party developer involves a huge financial investment on the part of the console manufacturer, which is wasted if the developer fails to produce a hit game on time. However, using first-party developers saves the cost of having to make royalty payments on

10062-508: The console. This established the use of licensing fees as a model for third-party development that persists into the present. The licensing fee approach was further enforced by Nintendo when it decided to allow other third-party developers to make games for the Famicom console, setting a 30% licensing fee that covered game cartridge manufacturing costs and development fees. The 30% licensing fee for third-party developers has also persisted to

10191-857: The criticism was directed at Matt Booty, President of Game Content and Studios, for his past management of Xbox Game Studios division. Microsoft Gaming has faced criticism on multiple occasions for video game layoffs. In 2022, 343 Industries lost over 60 employees due to layoffs, leading to public criticism from several former 343 Industries employees regarding Microsoft's leadership and management policies. In 2024, Microsoft Gaming underwent another round of layoffs, with Microsoft laying off 1,900 employees. Additionally, during this time, Microsoft canceled Blizzard Entertainment's new game Project Odyssey , which also garnered criticism from fans and journalists. FTC expressed concern that Microsoft's layoffs seemed inconsistent with past claims of preserving operational autonomy post-Activision Blizzard acquisition. Microsoft, in

10320-471: The day the acquisition was announced, Phil Spencer formed the Microsoft Gaming business, taking over as CEO, while Matt Booty headed Xbox Game Studios. Spencer's role includes all Microsoft's global interactive entertainment business across all devices and services. In 2022, ZeniMax Media, acquired Nemesys Games, a Hungarian video game development studio. Following the acquisition, Nemesys Games

10449-444: The developer if the game is not meeting expectations. When each milestone is completed (and accepted), the publisher pays the developer an advance on royalties . Successful developers may maintain several teams working on different games for different publishers. Generally, however, third-party developers tend to be small, close-knit teams. Third-party game development is a volatile sector, since small developers may depend on income from

10578-417: The developers are the publisher's employees, their interests align with those of the publisher; the publisher may spend less effort ensuring that the developer's decisions do not enrich the developer at the publisher's expense. Activision in 1979 became the first third-party video game developer. When four Atari, Inc. programmers left the company following its sale to Warner Communications , partially over

10707-467: The entertainment industry (such as films and television ) require long working hours and dedication from their employees, such as willingness to relocate and/or required to develop games that do not appeal to their personal taste. The creative rewards of work in the entertainment business attracts labor to the industry, creating a competitive labor market that demands a high level of commitment and performance from employees. Industry communities, such as

10836-650: The evolving digital entertainment landscape. Phil Spencer emphasized that for the Xbox brand to remain relevant, it must establish its presence on mobile, PC, and console platforms simultaneously. With the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming has become a significant player in the mobile gaming industry. It owns one of the largest mobile game developers and publishers, King, and publishes popular mobile games such as Candy Crush Saga , Fallout Shelter , Diablo Immortal , Warcraft Rumble and Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile . Phil Spencer has reiterated multiple times that Microsoft Gaming desires to launch

10965-516: The first video game-specific union, Game Workers Unite Australia, was formed in December 2021 under Professionals Australia to become active in 2022. In Canada, in a historic move, video game workers in Edmonton unanimously voted to unionize for the first time in June 2022. In January 2023, after not being credited in The Last of Us HBO adaptation, Bruce Straley called for unionization of

11094-432: The former general manager of the Call of Duty franchise, officially took on the role of the new president of Blizzard Entertainment on January 29, 2024, commencing her position on February 5. Simultaneously, Matt Cox assumed the position of the new general manager of the Call of Duty franchise. In February, Toys for Bob's office closed, and employees will work remotely. After rumors in early February 2024 that Microsoft

11223-960: The future, but specifically stated that these titles would not include Starfield nor Indiana Jones and the Great Circle . Phil Spencer stated that one of the reasons for this decision is to grow the Microsoft Gaming franchises, and he anticipates that in the next 5–10 years, console-exclusive games will be a smaller part of the gaming industry. In addition, the Podcast stated that the next generation of Xbox hardware would likely be discussed in late 2024, and that Microsoft would start bringing Activision Blizzard games to Game Pass, starting with Diablo IV in March 2024. Microsoft Gaming announced that four games will be released on other platforms, namely Pentiment , Hi-Fi Rush , Grounded , and Sea of Thieves . On February 29, 2024, Activision developer Toys for Bob announced their intentions to spin off from

11352-490: The game content and studios division led by Matt Booty, while Xbox marketing, led by Chris Lee, would move to the Xbox organization and report to Xbox president Sarah Bond. On August 7, 2024, Krafton reached an agreement with Microsoft Gaming to acquire Tango Gameworks as well as the Hi-Fi Rush IP . On August 20, 2024 during Gamescom: Opening Night Live , Microsoft announced that the upcoming Indiana Jones and

11481-404: The gaming industry, while a 2017 IGDA survey found that the female demographic in game development had risen to about 20%. Taking into account that a 2017 ESA survey found 41% of video game players were female, this represented a significant gender gap in game development. The male-dominated industry, most who have grown up playing video games and are part of the video game culture , can create

11610-451: The importance of taking care of artists and entertainers in the video game industry, highlighting that their role is to create value for corporations. Booty was also criticized for comments he made during a town hall meeting with employees following the closures, in which he stated that Microsoft needed “smaller games that give us prestige and awards,” which many saw as hypocritical as one of the studios that Microsoft closed, Tango Gameworks ,

11739-457: The industry by working long hours. Because crunch time tends to come from a combination of corporate practices as well as peer influence, the term "crunch culture" is often used to discuss video game development settings where crunch time may be seen as the norm rather than the exception. The use of crunch time as a workplace standard gained attention first in 2004, when Erin Hoffman exposed

11868-431: The lack of respect that the new management gave to programmers, they used their knowledge of how Atari VCS game cartridges were programmed to create their own games for the system, founding Activision in 1979 to sell these. Atari took legal action to try to block the sale of these games, but the companies ultimately settled, with Activision agreeing to pay a portion of their sales as a license fee to Atari for developing for

11997-424: The manner in which they choose to engage with them. By February 2024, Microsoft Gaming began planning to release their games on other platforms as part of a pivot in strategy to grow their franchises and compete with online game platforms like Fortnite and Roblox . Phil Spencer has stated that Xbox will continue to make exclusives and Game Pass will still be at the center of their strategy, but their goal

12126-473: The marketing efforts for the Xbox Series X/S consoles and his team was responsible for developing marketing plans for games, hardware, and Xbox Game Pass. Following his departure, Microsoft is reorganizing some of its marketing teams. A new, expanded central gaming marketing team is set to be created under Kirsten Ward, VP of Xbox integrated marketing. Consequently, games marketing would become a part of

12255-559: The movement again called out for the industry to unionize. The movement argued that Telltale had not given any warning to its 250 employees let go, having hired additional staff as recently as a week prior, and left them without pensions or health-care options; it was further argued that the studio considered this a closure rather than layoffs, as to get around failure to notify required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 preceding layoffs. The situation

12384-448: The nature of the video game culture. The industry also is recognized to have an ageism issue, discriminating against the hiring and retention of older developers. A 2016 IGDA survey found only 3% of developers were over 50 years old, while at least two-thirds were between 20 and 34; these numbers show a far lower average age compared to the U.S. national average of about 41.9 that same year. While discrimination by age in hiring practices

12513-540: The news, there have typically been followup discussions towards the potential to form a union. A survey performed by the International Game Developers Association in 2014 found that more than half of the 2,200 developers surveyed favored unionization. A similar survey of over 4,000 game developers run by the Game Developers Conference in early 2019 found that 47% of respondents felt the video game industry should unionize. In 2016, voice actors in

12642-463: The next decade. Additionally, Microsoft Gaming sold Activision Blizzard's cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft for 15 years due to regulatory pressure from the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. After several regulatory challenges, the deal was closed on October 13, 2023. The total cost of the acquisition amounted to $ 75.4 billion. This made Microsoft the third largest publisher of video games after Tencent and Sony Interactive Entertainment . On

12771-462: The notable purchase of ZeniMax Media and Activision Blizzard , has sparked debates about potential monopolistic tendencies. Critics argue that such acquisitions may concentrate too much power within Microsoft, raising concerns about healthy competition within the gaming industry. Various Video game journalists have criticized Microsoft Gaming of attempting to create a monopoly by acquiring two significant gaming publishers. The concern centers around

12900-427: The number of monthly active players had reached 500 million following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Microsoft created Xbox Game Pass in 2017. Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service that offers a vast library of games for a monthly fee. This includes a mix of first-party titles, third-party games, and titles available across PC and console platforms. The service has been praised for its value and has become

13029-617: The parent company of id Software , MachineGames , Arkane Studios , publisher Bethesda Softworks and others, to further expanding its portfolio of game development studios. ZeniMax remained a separate entity from XGS from its acquisition though overseen by Spencer. Microsoft announced its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $ 68.7 billion in cash on January 18, 2022. Simultaneously, Microsoft announced that Xbox Game Studios, ZeniMax Media and Activision Blizzard will fall under Microsoft Gaming, Microsoft's newly formed gaming division. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer stated that one of

13158-511: The perceptual gap. PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch have surpassed Xbox One due to their design and large portfolio of first-party games. In 2017, Xbox began rethinking its tactics and placing more emphasis on exclusive content and gaming-focused methods to better compete in the market. The Xbox Series X/S consoles continued to face challenges in competing against the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 (PS5). The console gaming market

13287-585: The platform and the industry as a whole. Microsoft Gaming, as of October 2023, is the third largest video game publisher in the industry following Sony and Tencent . Microsoft Gaming owns three major video game publishers: Xbox Game Studios, ZeniMax Media (through Bethesda Softworks), and Activision Blizzard (which includes Activision, Blizzard Entertainment, and King). In addition, Microsoft Gaming also publishes third-party games with Xbox Game Studios Publishing and helps indie video game studios to self-publish their own games with ID@Xbox . Since Microsoft entered

13416-439: The positive reception to the prior four Xbox titles released on other platforms in the earlier half of 2024, in addition to a need to maintain a strong business and interest in their franchises as they work to grow the Xbox ecosystem. Spencer also called to attention that the gaming industry was undergoing changes in the methods by which games were developed and distributed, that Microsoft was prepared to anticipate when considering

13545-505: The potential impact on market competition, with skeptics worrying that the consolidation of major titles under one umbrella might limit choices for gamers and stifle innovation. There has been controversy surrounding Microsoft's mismanagement of their gaming studios. Following the failed launch of Halo Infinite and Redfall , critics have started to criticize Microsoft for this issue. There have been reports about Everwild and Perfect Dark also being in development hell. Most of

13674-694: The present, being a de facto rate used for most digital storefronts for third-party developers to offer their games on the platform. In recent years, larger publishers have acquired several third-party developers. While these development teams are now technically "in-house", they often continue to operate in an autonomous manner (with their own culture and work practices). For example, Activision acquired Raven (1997); Neversoft (1999), which merged with Infinity Ward in 2014; Z-Axis (2001); Treyarch (2001); Luxoflux (2002); Shaba (2002); Infinity Ward (2003) and Vicarious Visions (2005). All these developers continue operating much as they did before acquisition,

13803-414: The primary differences being exclusivity and financial details. Publishers tend to be more forgiving of their own development teams going over budget (or missing deadlines) than third-party developers. A developer may not be the primary entity creating a piece of software, usually providing an external software tool which helps organize (or use) information for the primary software product. Such tools may be

13932-551: The primary reasons for acquiring Activision Blizzard is to enter the mobile gaming market. Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick mentioned that they accepted the offer to access more talent, capitalize on the growing demand in the gaming industry, and to compete with rising gaming companies from China and Japan . Microsoft Gaming has entered into several 10-year agreements with gaming companies including Sony, Nintendo , Nvidia , Boosteroid, Ubitus, Nware, and EE to bring Call of Duty to their respective platforms over

14061-432: The publisher to become an independent studio but confirmed that they were open to working with both Activision and Microsoft on future projects. On April 9, 2024, Microsoft Gaming and NetEase Games announced an agreement to bring Blizzard Entertainment games back to China . Previously, Blizzard terminated a publishing deal with NetEase in 2022. Microsoft Gaming also revealed plans to bolster their collaboration through

14190-429: The publisher's wishes generally override those of the developer. Work for hire studios solely execute the publishers vision. The business arrangement between the developer and publisher is governed by a contract, which specifies a list of milestones intended to be delivered over a period of time. By updating its milestones, the publisher verifies that work is progressing quickly enough to meet its deadline and can direct

14319-415: The publishers. While this had some effects on a few games within the industry, it brought to the forefront the question of whether video game developers should unionize. A grassroots movement, Game Workers Unite , was established around 2017 to discuss and debate issues related to unionization of game developers. The group came to the forefront during the March 2018 Game Developers Conference by holding

14448-737: The start of 2024 to help with the transition. In an email sent to employees, Bobby Kotick announced that he would leave the Activision Blizzard on December 29, 2023. Following Bobby Kotick's departure, Activision Blizzard has undergone organizational changes to realign with Microsoft Gaming. Vice Chairman of Activision Blizzard, Thomas Tippl; President of Activision, Rob Kostich; President of Blizzard Entertainment, Mike Ybarra; and President of King, Tjodolf Sommestad, have begun reporting to Matt Booty, President of Game Content and Studios. The leadership teams at Activision, Blizzard Entertainment, and King remained unchanged. CCO Lulu Meservey departed Activision Blizzard on January 31, 2024. After assisting with

14577-615: The subsequent generation, Sony's PlayStation 4 (PS4) outperformed Microsoft's Xbox One , selling twice as many consoles. During the eighth generation of gaming consoles, the PlayStation 4 sold 117 million units, the Nintendo Switch sold 133 million units, and the Xbox One sold 58 million units. Sony's success is attributed to its exclusive game catalog and marketing techniques. Microsoft initially prioritized multimedia features over gaming capabilities; Sony has managed to exploit

14706-575: The success of other Metaverse games. The company strategically positioning itself in the Metaverse trend, evident in its efforts to strengthen its gaming portfolio and explore opportunities for social interactions and monetization strategies within virtual environments. Microsoft's strategic positioning through acquisition of Activision Blizzard to play a significant role in shaping the future of gaming by integrating Metaverse elements into its gaming ecosystem. Microsoft Gaming plans to remain competitive in

14835-545: The target of sexual harassment. This can be coupled from similar harassment from external groups, such as during the 2014 Gamergate controversy . Major investigations into allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct that went unchecked by management, as well as discrimination by employers, have been brought up against Riot Games , Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard in the late 2010s and early 2020s, alongside smaller studios and individual developers. However, while other entertainment industries have had similar exposure through

14964-442: The third-person single-player genre by developing titles like Gears of War , Quantum Break , and Sunset Overdrive . However, despite these efforts, the company continues to face challenges in competing successfully in this genre, struggling to match the market dominance of competitors such as Sony and Nintendo. Today, big games like Fortnite and Roblox can actually be bigger than any one platform, and that really has changed

15093-484: The toxic nature of the video game culture. This racial diversity issue has similar ties to the gender one, and similar methods to result both have been suggested, such as improving grade school education, developing games that appeal beyond the white, male gamer stereotype, and identifying toxic behavior in both video game workplaces and online communities that perpetuate discrimination against gender and race. In regards to LGBT and other gender or sexual orientations,

15222-416: The transition, Thomas Tippl, along with several other top Activision Blizzard executives, departed from the company in March 2024. Microsoft Gaming laid off 1,900 staff (approximately 8% of its workforce) in January 2024. Additionally, Blizzard's president Mike Ybarra and Blizzard's co-founder and chief design officer Allen Adham left the company. Blizzard Entertainment reportedly is the organization that

15351-487: The use of crunch time at Electronic Arts , a situation known as the "EA Spouses" case. A similar "Rockstar Spouses" case gained further attention in 2010 over working conditions at Rockstar San Diego . Since then, there has generally been negative perception of crunch time from most of the industry as well as from its consumers and other media. Game development had generally been a predominately male workforce. In 1989, according to Variety , women constituted only 3% of

15480-749: The video game industry in 2001, Sony has consistently been viewed as its main competitor. But, Microsoft Gaming has stated that their main competitors are big tech companies, specifically Amazon , Google and Apple . Among the gaming franchises owned by Microsoft, Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time, with 300 million units sold, while Call of Duty is the 4th best-selling video game series of all time with 425 million units across multiple installments sold and $ 30 billion in revenue. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that Microsoft Gaming now owns 20 franchises that have each generated over $ 1 billion in lifetime revenues. Candy Crush Saga alone generated $ 20 billion in lifetime revenue. Following

15609-508: The video game industry typically shares the same demographics as with the larger population based on a 2005 IGDA survey. Those in the LGBT community do not find workplace issues with their identity, though work to improve the representation of LGBT themes within video games in the same manner as with racial minorities. However, LGBT developers have also come under the same type of harassment from external groups like women and racial minorities due to

15738-678: The video game industry. Whereas some video game employees believe they should follow the craft-based model used by SAG-AFTRA which would unionize based on job function, others feel an industry-wide union, regardless of job position, would be better. Starting in 2021, several smaller game studios in the United States began efforts to unionize. These mostly involved teams doing quality assurance rather than developers. These studios included three QA studios under Blizzard Entertainment : Raven Software , Blizzard Albany , and Proletariat; and Zenimax Media 's QA team. Microsoft , which had previously acquired Zenimax and announced plans to acquire Blizzard via

15867-604: The way we think about things. —Matt Booty on online game platforms Microsoft Gaming has stated that its acquisition of Activision Blizzard reflects a strategic effort to tap into the growing Metaverse trend in the gaming industry. For Microsoft, the Metaverse concept involves creating online game platforms where users can interact, similar to popular games like Grand Theft Auto V , Fortnite , and Roblox . Microsoft aims to incorporate strong social features and effective monetization strategies within games like Call of Duty , Minecraft and World of Warcraft to establish

15996-504: The workforce in video games is estimated to be from contract labor. Similar to other tech industries, video game developers are typically not unionized . This is a result of the industry being driven more by creativity and innovation rather than production, the lack of distinction between management and employees in the white-collar area, and the pace at which the industry moves that makes union actions difficult to plan out. However, when situations related to crunch time become prevalent in

16125-724: Was argued to be "exploitive", as Telltale had been known to force its employees to frequently work under "crunch time" to deliver its games. By the end of 2018, a United Kingdom trade union, Game Workers Unite UK, an affiliate of the Game Workers Unite movement, had been legally established. Following Activision Blizzard 's financial report for the previous quarter in February 2019, the company said that they would be laying off around 775 employees (about 8% of their workforce) despite having record profits for that quarter. Further calls for unionization came from this news, including

16254-415: Was behind the critically acclaimed and award-winning game Hi-Fi Rush . In 2022, an investigation conducted by Kotaku revealed concerns about the studio environment at Undead Labs , suggesting the presence of sexism within the company. The studio's new leader, Philip Holt, who succeeded Strain, and the then-Head of HR, Anne Schlosser, were both implicated in fostering this problematic culture. Following

16383-456: Was founded on October 1, 2005, when Cavia, established on March 1, 2000, changed its name and became a holding company responsible for the management of subsidiary companies as well as sales and promotion of video game software. The old company's game planning & development business became Cavia Inc. which remained a subsidiary of AQI, until July 2010, when Cavia was re-absorbed as a part of AQI. It published its first game in November 2005,

16512-629: Was looking to bring its first-party exclusives to either PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch, and that Microsoft may be leaving the hardware business, Microsoft held a special installment of the Official Xbox Podcast scheduled on February 15, 2024, to address the future strategy of Microsoft Gaming and Xbox, with Phil Spencer appearing alongside head of Xbox Sarah Bond and Matt Booty, president of Game Content and Studios at Microsoft Gaming. Spencer announced that four Xbox-exclusive games will be released on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch in

16641-494: Was officially renamed to ZeniMax Online Studios Hungary. Shortly after completion of the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft further reorganized Microsoft Gaming. In this move, the Xbox hardware line was brought into Microsoft Gaming led by Sarah Bond . Matt Booty was made president of game content and studios, which includes oversight of Xbox Game Studios and ZeniMax Media, while Activision Blizzard also remained directly under Spencer, with Bobby Kotick remaining as CEO until

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