Xbox Game Studios

The gaming label of the Microsoft Corporation was introduced in March 2000 for products developed in-house or as first-party software for the Xbox console and Microsoft Windows. The label is associated with numerous franchises such as Age of Empires, Halo, Forza Motorsport, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Minecraft and others.

In June 2011, during the E3 convention, the company announced that it would be "rebranding" the name to Microsoft Studios.

On 5 February 2019, the company rebranded again as Xbox Game Studios, as part of Microsoft's attempt to expand the Xbox brand beyond the console line.

On 21 September 2020, Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media and their subsidiaries, assigning them to the Xbox Game Studios label. On 13 October 2023, Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard after over a year of seeking approval from international institutions, but it was not yet absorbed into the label as of January 2024.

Known subsidiaries

Names in italics used to be subsidiaries, but no longer are as they were closed or sold off.

• 343 Industries (founded in 2007)
• ACES Game Studio (acquired in 1995 - closed in 2009)
• Big Park (acquired in 2009 - unknown closure date)
• Bungie (acquired in 2000 - became independent in 2007)
• Carbonated Games
• The Coalition (founded in 2010 - formerly known as Zipline Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Vancouver, and Black Tusk Studios)
• Compulsion Games (acquired in 2018)
• Digital Anvil (acquired in 2000 - closed in 2006)
• Double Fine Productions (acquired in 2019)
• Ensemble Studios (acquired in 2001 - closed in 2009)
• FASA Studio (acquired in 1998 - closed in 2007)
• Good Science Studio (founded in 2009 - unknown closure date)
• Hired Gun (known only to have been active around 2007)
• Indie Built (acquired in 1998 as Access Software - sold to Take-Two Interactive in 2004)
• The Initiative (founded in 2018)
• inXile Entertainment (acquired in 2018)
• Lift London (founded in 2012 - inactive since 2019)
• Lionhead Studios (acquired in 2006 - closed in 2016)
• Microsoft Game Studios Japan
• Mojang (acquired in 2014)
• Ninja Theory (acquired in 2018)
• Obsidian Entertainment (acquired in 2018)
• Playground Games (acquired in 2018)
• Press Play (acquired in 2012 - closed in 2016)
• Rare (acquired in 2002)
• Team Dakota
• Turn 10 Studios (founded in 2001)
• Twisted Pixel Games (acquired in 2011 - became independent in 2015)
• Undead Labs (acquired in 2018)
• WingNut Interactive (established in 2006 - sold to WingNut Films in 2009)
• World's Edge (established in 2019)
• ZeniMax Media (acquired in 2020)
  • Alpha Dog Games (acquired in 2020)
  • Arkane Studios (Lyon) (acquired in 2020)
    • Arkane Studios (Austin) (acquired in 2020)
  • Bethesda Game Studios (acquired in 2020)
    • Bethesda Game Studios Austin (acquired in 2020)
    • Bethesda Game Studios Dallas (acquired in 2020)
    • Bethesda Game Studios Montréal (acquired in 2020)
  • Bethesda Softworks (acquired in 2020)
  • id Software (acquired in 2020)
    • ZeniMax Germany (acquired in 2020)
  • MachineGames (acquired in 2020)
  • Roundhouse Games (acquired in 2020)
  • Tango Gameworks (acquired in 2020)
  • ZeniMax Online Studios (acquired in 2020)
    • ZeniMax Online Studios Hungary (acquired in 2022 as Nemesys Games)

As of 13 October 2023, Activision Blizzard became part of Microsoft's gaming portfolio as well, but not yet merged with Xbox Game Studios. This included:

• Activision Capture Studio
• Activision Publishing
  • Activision Shanghai
  • Beenox
  • DemonWare
  • Digital Legends Entertainment
  • High Moon Studios
  • Infinity Ward
    • Infinity Ward Poland
  • Raven Software
  • Sierra (label)
  • Sledgehammer Games (San Francisco)
    • Sledgehammer Games Melbourne
    • Sledgehammer Games Toronto
    • Sledgehammer Games UK
  • Solid State Studios
  • Toys for Bob
  • Treyarch
• Blizzard Entertainment
  • Blizzard Albany
  • Proletariat
  • unnamed Blizzard studios in Austin, Cork, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney and Taipei
• King.com Ltd.