Microsoft has announced that they will be re-branding their in house development group from Microsoft Studios to Xbox Game Studios in a press release yesterday. The Xbox Game Studios group contains many of the company's bigger developers such as Rare, 343 Industries, and Obsidian Entertainment, who collectively have been responsible for some of Xbox's biggest and more successful franchises.
Xbox has claimed the move is to reconfirm their commitment to gaming across all platforms, a part of their shift in focus to getting their content on as many different devices as possible. This rebrand comes only a few weeks after the company announced their intention to become the 'Netflix of Gaming', with plans for a trial of a Netflix-like game streaming service later in the year.
The rebrand also comes fresh off the heels of Xbox's acquisition of seven new developers last year, including Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice developers Ninja Theory. In the press release, Xbox Game Studios claimed to be in their best position yet to offer a diverse range of games to their fans and customers, with the rebranding and acquisitions going a long way towards keeping that promise.
Quick Take
While the rebranding of Xbox's in-house development group might not seem like a big deal to some, it comes at a crucial time for Microsoft. After a certain amount of complacency in the last generation, they had a slower start in this one, only managing to claw their way back with effort. At this point, their future intentions of becoming the 'Netflix of Gaming' could be a good or bad thing for both consumers and the industry, and Microsoft will have to use Xbox Game Studios to prove that they're trying to make gaming the best that it can be.What do you think of the rebranding? Does it show a commitment to gaming from Microsoft? Let us know your thought in the comments below.
