Xbox Is Considering Buying Studios In South America, India Or Africa


Xbox has been busy acquiring studios as of late, with the likes of Ninja Theory, Double Fine, and more.

After one of the biggest acquisitions in gaming history with Bethesda, the gaming giant has its eyes set on talent located in more untraditional locations for its next big family expansion.

Xbox eyeing studios in South America, India, and Africa.

Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, and Head of Microsoft Studios, Matt Booty spoke about the future of Xbox and the ways in which it is looking to bolster its well-established foundation.

He highlighted how purchasing new studios is of particular importance to the brand. When asked whether they are looking at South America, India, or Africa for their next big acquisition, Spencer is hopeful that this is possible:

It would actually surprise me if that doesn’t happen.... just knowing the talent that’s available, and the tools [such as game engines Unity and Unreal] that are so much more accessible … I would be surprised if in the next three to five years, you don’t see numerous studios in places that aren’t the traditional hubs of video game development.

Booty clarified that these potential studios would not be restricted to quality testing games. Rather, they would be involved in creating new projects themselves:

There should be a several-hundred-person studio [in one of these territories]... And not for outsourcing or support, but a team building whatever the version of the best blockbuster game may be for that market. That is very much the vision.

Gaming talent is emerging in these regions, as showcased by Ubisoft Pune (India) who are working on the forthcoming Prince of Persia remake. Whether Microsoft will follow suit and invest in studios within these regions, remains to be seen.

In addition to multi-season endeavours, Spencer also claims that Xbox is creating more narrative-driven games.

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