Microsoft Game Studios Launches European Office

[Tap In]

Maybe some of our European devs will find a new home? :smile:

Microsoft Games Studio is launching a European office on May 6, which will be based in Reading (UK).

The new arm of the operation will focus "on continuing and growing the success of MGS-published content in Europe and in building ever-deeper relationships with European development talent", Microsoft says.

MGS Europe will be headed up by Phil Spencer, general manager, Microsoft Game Studios, who will report to Shane Kim, Microsoft Game Studios' corporate vice president.

"Europe is obviously very important to our platform efforts and an area where have a strong history of working with some of the best game industry talent," said Spencer.

He continued: "We already have an established presence in the region with some of the world's best development talent like Lionhead and Rare, and great publishing partners like Bizarre Creations, Real Time Worlds and Remedy.

"I'm very excited about what we've accomplished in Europe and I look forward to continuing and strengthening that success by building deeper relationships with the development community here."

http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=163374

 

[Qroach]

They really needed to do this before. hopefully this means we'll get more content that suits the region and people in North America that likes a style of game that isn't just a shooter.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Maybe some of our European devs will find a new home? :smile:

Seems more an adminstation base rather than development centre. I don't think it's creating more develpoment opportunities itself, although may well lead towards that in future.

 

[MrWibble]

Ah, Reading. One of the worst places to live in the uk.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/6564923.stm

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Their footy team's on the up though, so it can't be all bad!

 

[Tap In]

Seems more an adminstation base rather than development centre. I don't think it's creating more develpoment opportunities itself, although may well lead towards that in future.

"I'm very excited about what we've accomplished in Europe and I look forward to continuing and strengthening that success by building deeper relationships with the development community here."

I read that to mean that they were going to try and use that base as a way to improve relations and build from the talent pool in Europe for MGS.

In other words... potentially more jobs for European Devs!

 

[Titanio]

Seems more an adminstation base rather than development centre. I don't think it's creating more develpoment opportunities itself, although may well lead towards that in future.

It's basically so they can move faster when it comes to signing potential new talent or publishing deals.

Remember the Ninja Theory experience? “We're waiting for our American office”. In a nutshell, the aim of this team is to try avoid situations like that (and to keep things like technical support bang up to date etc.)

 

[Tap In]

It's basically so they can move faster when it comes to signing potential new talent or publishing deals.

Remember the Ninja Theory experience? “We're waiting for our American office”. In a nutshell, the aim of this team is to try avoid situations like that (and to keep things like technical support bang up to date etc.)

that makes sense too. I still would imagine that they are going to try and woo more European talent to MGS though. As you said, with an office there they can actually interact.

I'm actually shocked that they didn't have one there already!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

It's basically so they can move faster when it comes to signing potential new talent or publishing deals.

Yeah. 'Admin' was a poor choice of word on my part. Admin and logistics and support. Basically everything but writing their own games software!

 

[Tap In]

"We already have an established presence in the region with some of the world's best development talent like Lionhead and Rare, and great publishing partners like Bizarre Creations, Real Time Worlds and Remedy.

gotta admit, the current talent of their European Games studios is not too shabby. :smile:

I guess I'm just excited because there seems to be a lot of talent there with Sony and 3rd parties and hopefully MS can get some more of them on their team and continue to build a better balance of games than the usual Western fair.

 

[Titanio]

that makes sense too. I still would imagine that they are going to try and woo more European talent to MGS though. As you said, with an office there they can actually interact.

I'm actually shocked that they didn't have one there already!

Reading Develop, they have had a guy there heading up this effort for the past year to a greater degree, but this is making it permanent, and presumably better resourced. It's not like there wasn't anyone in Europe before (obviously, looking at the European publishing deals MGS has signed, and the developers they've acquired), but previously everything deferred back to Redmond and that probably slowed them down quite a bit and made them less able to react and move quickly on things. I'm guessing this European office is being given a fair degree of power to make decisions, at least up to a certain level.

 

[Tap In]

Reading Develop, they have had a guy there heading up this effort for the past year to a greater degree, but this is making it permanent, and presumably better resourced. It's not like there wasn't anyone in Europe before (obviously, looking at the European publishing deals MGS has signed, and the developers they've acquired), but previously everything deferred back to Redmond and that probably slowed them down quite a bit and made them less able to react and move quickly on things. I'm guessing this European office is being given a fair degree of power to make decisions, at least up to a certain level.

cool thanks!

 

[mrcorbo]

Clearly a good and important move. It's going to take a while to see the fruits of this effort, though.

Hopefully, this move allows MS Europe to achieve successes like MS Japan did with Capcom. That is, encourage European-developed games targeted at the European market that also have a global appeal.