Microsoft Game Studios (MGS), formerly the Microsoft Game Division, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. which develops and publishes video games for Windows-based PCs and the Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. MGS publishes games for several Microsoft-owned first-party developers, including Bungie Studios and Rare Ltd.. MGS also publishes games created by third-party developers, such as Bioware and Bizzare Creations.
In August 2002, MGS acquired Rare from Nintendo and the Stamper brothers, who owned 49% and 51% of the company respectively. Since that time, it has been rumored that Microsoft is trying to acquire Japanese game development companies like Sega, Squaresoft (prior to merger and Sony's purchase of stock), and even Nintendo. The reason given is that it would help them break into the notoriously fickle and patriotic market (it's common for the Xbox game platform to be shunned for the reason of being American) where Western games are seldom successful, and where the Xbox and Xbox360 platfroms overall have experienced moderate success in North America and Europe, but very little in Japan and elsewhere.List of owned studios
- Bungie Studios - Halo series
- (formerly) Digital Anvil - Freelancer, Brute Force
- Ensemble Studios - Age of Empires series
- Rare - Perfect Dark, Kameo, Killer Instinct, Banjo series
- FASA - Shadowrun, Crimson Skies
- Mist Walker - Lost odyssey, Blue Dragon, Cry on
Games released under the MGS brand
This list of games is sorted by platform and includes games both developed by MGS or MGS-owned companies, and those simply published by MGS. For those games not developed under the Microsoft name, the developer is noted after the game's release year. PC
- Age of Empires (1997) — Ensemble Studios
- *Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome Expansion (1998) — Ensemble Studios
- *Age of Empires: Gold Edition (1998) — Ensemble Studios
- Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (1999) — Ensemble Studios
- *Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion (2000) — Ensemble Studios
- *Age of Empires II Gold Edition (2001) — Ensemble Studios
- Age of Empires III (2005) — Ensemble Studios
- Age of Mythology (2002) — Ensemble Studios
- *Age of Mythology: The Titans Expansion (2003) — Ensemble Studios
- *Age of Mythology Gold Edition (2004) — Ensemble Studios
- Bicycle Board Games (2003) (published by Activision Value)
- Bicycle Card Games (2003) (published by Activision Value)
- Bicycle Casino Games (2003) (published by Activision Value)
- Close Combat (1996) — Atomic Games
- Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far (1997) — Atomic Games
- Close Combat III: The Russian Front (1998) — Atomic Games
- Combat Flight Simulator: WWII Europe Series (1998)
- Combat Flight Simulator 2: WWII Pacific Theater (2000)
- Combat Flight Simulator 3 (2002)
- Dungeon Siege (2002) — Gas Powered Games
- Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna (2003) — Gas Powered Games
- Dungeon Siege II (2005) — Gas Powered Games
- Flight Simulator 98 (1997)
- Flight Simulator 2000 (1999)
- Flight Simulator 2002 (2001)
- Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight (2003)
- Freelancer (2003) — Digital Anvil
- Halo: Combat Evolved (2003) — Bungie Studios
- Impossible Creatures (2003) — Relic
- *Impossible Creatures: Insect Invasion (2003) — Relic
- Kings & Myths: The Age Collection (2003) — Ensemble Studios
- Links 2003 (2002) — Indie Built
- Links 2003 Championship Courses (2003) — Indie Built
- Links 2003 Championship Edition (2003) — Indie Built
- Links LS Classic (?) — Indie Built
- MechCollection (?)
- MechCommander 2 (2001)
- MechWarrior 4: Vengeance (2000)
- *MechWarrior 4: Black Knight (2001) — Cyberlore Studios
- *MechWarrior 4: Clan Mech Pak (2002) — Cyberlore Studios / FASA Interactive
- *MechWarrior 4: Inner Sphere Mech Pack (2002) — Cyberlore Studios / FASA Interactive
- *MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries (2002) — Cyberlore Studios
- Microsoft Baseball 2000 (1999)
- *Microsoft Baseball 2001 (2000)
- Midtown Madness (1999) — Angel Studios
- Midtown Madness 2 (2000) — Angel Studios
- Monster Truck Madness (1996) — Terminal Reality
- Monster Truck Madness 2 (1998) — Terminal Reality
- Motocross Madness (1998) — Rainbow Studios
- Motocross Madness 2 (2000) — Rainbow Studios
- Mythica (cancelled)
- Racing Madness 2 (?)
- RalliSport Challenge (2002) — Digital Illusions CE
- Return of Arcade Anniversary Edition (1997) — Namco
- Rise of Nations (2003) — Big Huge Games
- *Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots (2004) — Big Huge Games
- Train Simulator (2001)
- Vanguard: Saga of Heroes (anticipated for Fall 2006) — Sigil Entertainment
- Zoo Tycoon (2001) — Blue Fang Games
- *Zoo Tycoon Dinosaur Digs (2002) — Blue Fang Games
- *Zoo Tycoon Marine Mania (2002) — Blue Fang Games
- *Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection (2003) — Blue Fang Games
- Zoo Tycoon 2 (2004) — Blue Fang Games
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