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06 Apr 2006 06:46 | Dusty | Xbox 360 Xbox360News.com | Link to this article
Microsoft Game Studios today announced it has purchased U.K.-based Lionhead Studios, one of the world’s leading and most innovative video game developers and creators of “Fable,” the hit Xbox and Windows franchise.
Lionhead Studios will immediately begin creating content exclusively for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows platforms. The companies previously worked together on the popular role-playing games “Fable” for Xbox and “Fable: The Lost Chapters” for Xbox and Windows, which have collectively surpassed the 2 million global unit sales milestone, making “Fable” the best-selling role-playing franchise on the Xbox platform. “Fable” and “Fable: The Lost Chapters” enable players to make decisions that affect their character’s skills, appearances and morality and the world around them. “At Microsoft Game Studios we have worked hard to become the best partner for the best creative talent in our industry, and this acquisition underscores our commitment to excellence,” said Shane Kim, general manager of Microsoft Game Studios. “Peter Molyneux is one of the few true visionaries in our industry, and his joining us is incredibly important to the future of both interactive entertainment and MGS. Lionhead is a shining example of the innovative and creative talent that has delivered some of the most influential and unique games experiences to date, and I am honored to welcome Peter and the incredible people at Lionhead Studios.” “We could not be more excited about being part of MGS. They have long supported our creative vision, and this teamwork resulted in the hugely successful ‘Fable’ franchise,” said Molyneux, managing director of Lionhead Studios. “This acquisition gives Lionhead the stability and opportunity to focus on creating world-class next-generation titles. We are joining some of the most incredible game creators in the industry, the combined talent of which will truly take next-generation gaming to a new level.” With today’s announcement, Lionhead Studios becomes the latest member of MGS, joining such prestigious and globally recognized game creators as Bungie Studios, Ensemble Studios, FASA Studio and Rare Ltd. on a team whose charter is to create exclusive entertainment experiences that differentiate Xbox 360 and Windows from other gaming platforms. About Lionhead Studios Add Comment Unregistered - JO 04.06.2006 07:31 another good investment by microsoft prefer somthing like theme park or command an conquer Unregistered - PSP360 04.06.2006 09:32 Nice! This means Fable 2 will only be 50 bux!! RavenSlayer 117 04.06.2006 09:40 Not only does it mean that Fable 2 will only be 50 bucks. But MS has got an other good company to make exclusive titles for them. Sounds pretty good to me. Unregistered - Michael 04.06.2006 10:22 Microsoft needs all the first party support they can get right now. This kind of support can only help microsoft's jump on sony. Lucid360 04.06.2006 10:31 Peter Molyneux is a god in PC Gaming, probibly the second or 3rd best there is right now. Microsoft helped themselves out a little here. But most of Lionheads productivity was on the PC. Fable was a great game and this will mean for sure there will be a second one. We shall see, I feel this was a better buy than Rare, but that is just my couch coaching. Unregistered - FISH FISHMAN 04.06.2006 11:17 More KILLER exclusives on the way....which can only mean bad news for Sony. The ONLY semi-exclusive titles for PS3, will probably head over to the 360 anyway. All the good stuff is made by the companies MS has bought. HURRAY FOR MICROSOFT!!! Unregistered - crazy gamer 04.06.2006 11:46 This is great news for MS this means more ammo for MS to kill sony with. Islandkiwi 04.06.2006 11:51 Molyneux's vision for games have always ended up being constrained by time/money. Here's hoping a relationship with MS will relax those constraints. And someone get Molyneux a copy of Oblivion, to see how it's done. FreeMonk 04.06.2006 12:38 Wow! Microsoft have yet aquired another great company to add to there growing team! With possible sequals to Populous, Black and White, Fable and of course Theme whatever, this will just bring more customers to the 360! All Microsoft need now is for the Revolution to flop and then they can buy out Nintendo, which has been rumored for years! Unregistered - ee 04.06.2006 13:17 I hope they bring bc to 360 but I just can't get over the fact that fable was such a let down! I hope that Peter can really make up for that game in part 2 and not end up like Sony always promising things that never happen! Unregistered - rr 04.06.2006 13:22 PS2 was about half in specs from the xbox, right ! and it has been doing everything and running about every game which the xbox ran, PS2 even got beyond with titles like Colossus, god of war, gran turismo and now the rogue galaxy etc., in technologies like dynamic loading. The point is in 'doing' the stuff not in 'can do it'. PS2 was the real next-gen because it was the weakest and went the farthest, we can't say just 'can do it' with it, it did the stuff. Now Xbox360 is to 'do' the stuff and not say just in imaginations. We love Sony because they 'do' it. We used to hear about the procedural content in games of the next gen, PS3 is bringing that in its launch titles, X360 didn't. There will be games but actual shift from the current gen is what decides the next gen. Playing the same old fps titles, putting shadows under the polys is not the next gen, a total shift like MotorStorm is required and not just Hi res imagery. Xfans say the developers don't do it, I say let Microsoft do it in their games as Sony is doing most of the awesome stuff themselves, but if MicroSoft denies it, then their hardware is in serious question, as its been over four months from the launch of 360, and there is not a single game in view that would exhibit seamles interactivity. Unregistered - rrr 04.06.2006 13:23 if you look back at at the E3 2005 Microsoft was showing demos of games running on dev kits and most all the games where running at 20 to 30 frames a sec..and they where saying the dev kits where only about half the power of the final kits."I still dont beleave it"..but if you look at all the real demos of stuff for the PS3 and keep in mind there not final either,,all their games are running at 30 to 60 frames... proof PS3 has more power!!!! And Stupid people just don't want to admit it,I would not either if I payed 400.00 for a piece of junk! How could anyone say the 360 will be better than the ps3 it's comming out a year later does that not mean newer video card newer tec??...It always has in the past what's different this time? I'm sorry but I seen plenty of fake microsoft 360 videos at E3 and nothing was running off the real hardware. Why are all the 360 game slowing down? hardly No antialising? More problems than any system on launch ever? 20% Backwards compatable?..lol? Already failed in japan valocity girl..do I need say more? "yes I do" The one thing Microsoft got right is the 360 is a 360 from what they did with the firt system so the name fits....STUPID!!!! Stupid ugly white g-- looking system,,that can't run old gen ported games at 30 frames a sec!!!! What does the 360 do that the 1st XBOX can't do??? really???so far I don't see much..HI DEF,MORE POLYS that's it!..that's not a good reason to buy a new system,, F---That! and if SONY AND NINTENDO do the same F---THEM TOO!"""video game crash".. Worst system launch ever!!! Unregistered - shotty 04.06.2006 13:40 Number 12 is a perfect example of a sony fanboy lashing out since the ps is nowhere to be seen. Its funny though even though they are an endangered species. #12 doesntt even make sence. If you own a 360 then you know its power. Take a look at Kameo theres like thousands of orcs on one screen all being rendered real time, look at oblivion its amazing, look at GRAW it revolutionized online combat, look at PGR 3 it changed the way people raced online with gotham TV. Take a look at xbox arcade it allowed newer gamers and even the more advanced gamers to take a break and play a relaxing game. Look at the physics in cell factor its mind blowing. X360 does thing the ps3 can only show through cgi Unregistered - Fizzle 04.06.2006 13:45 The only one in denial her # 12 is YOU. Open your eyes you Sony Fanboy FISH. Take off the puppet strings SOny has wrapped around you 13 year old NECK and do yourself a favour by at least trying the 360 rather than chucking crap. If you DID play the 360 games like GRAW, the BF2 demo and the many many others you would not be so fast to throw-up the sh!t you have already done so close-mindedly above. PS3 will be nice, I will admit that and that is why I will buy one. But I will also tell you this .... "YOU WILL NOT" get me to only play the PS3 like the rest of the Sony Fanboy puppets. PS3 or not .... my 360 is HERE TO STAY. Unregistered - Master X 24 04.06.2006 14:10 BC for the 360 please BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC Unregistered - ww 04.06.2006 14:26 I don't care what Sony or than fans think about 360 because I know MS will deliver! Everybody keeps saying the ps3 is as powerful less powerful and more powerful but i believe the truth will be unleashed soon and for those saying the ps3 will be good or sucks need to be quiet because it could go either way! I think its going to suck but who am I to say that when I've never touched the system! Unregistered - Gamer 04.06.2006 17:17 Im really hoping they bring the game BC back. I remember how impressive the vids looked for it back on regular Xbox. I hope it makes a comeback. My fingers are crossed. Only reason the game went down on Xbox is cause I heard they ran out of funding for it? but Im sure now they picked up more than enough to give this game a new breath of life! FamoAmo 04.06.2006 17:22 I am here to talk 360 not take part in any discussion about a console that in my eyes doesn't exist yet. Go to PS3today or something! #12 is a prime example of a retard that has nothing better to do but flame all day! He flames about power that no one knows about yet and says its proof! WTF lets talk 360 boys! Unregistered - MIKE 04.06.2006 17:42 ITS all about the games and it will take a few years for the full power to come out aswell as ps3 motor storm looks good but if it plays crap whats the point ill wait on ps3 reviews before making a choice FreeMonk 04.06.2006 21:42 It makes me laugh that people slag off the X-Box 360, yet they've probably only played it for a few minutes in an EB store. What makes me laugh harder is these people are stating that the X360 is not next-gen. Do these people even know what next-gen mean? Can any other console out at the moment produce the graphical quality that the 360 is doing at the moment!? Nope! PC games have always provided the most graphically challenged games around, yet one of the biggest ones out there at the moment, ES4 - Oblivion runs exactly like the PC version would, and your saying that's not Next-Gen!? Also, so what if you can't play your old x-box games on the 360, I don't want to play those anyway, and if I do I'll just boot up the old X-Box. I've had both a PS1 and PS2 from day one, and not once have I gone back to my PS1 collection and played them on my PS2. Pointless, not when better games out. As for the person who was talking about the PS2 running everything the X-Box/Gamecube ran. Yeah, that correct but at a graphical downrate. You run RE4 on Gamecube next to the PS2, and tell me you notice no difference. Plus, try running Jade Empire / Halo 2 or Ninja Gaiden on the PS2, and even though it would run it, the graphics would have to down toned. This will be the same for the 360. If a game that runs on the PS3 is too powerful for the 360, they'll just take some lighting effects away and some other bits and there you go! That's what been happening for the PS2 for the past 3 years, so it can easily be done for the 360! People know that the PS3 will be more powerful. They've had more time to develop it, yet more power means nothing, which the PS2 has proven in the past. As long as the console has a great collection of pretty looking games, that's all that matter and MS is way ahead on that. They've got some of the most anticipated titles being released over the next 6-12 months. Plus, peopel are sick and tired of playing endless sequals that all look and play the same. MS have announced and released some great quality orignal titles, yet all that Sony have shown off are sequals like Tekken, Gran Turismo, Ratchet and Clank, Killzone etc etc. Yeah, they look good, but they play the same. MS could of had Halo 3 ready for Launch, or provided a CGI clip for Halo 3 like Sony did for Killzone, but MS don't want to stup that low. They are pretty confident of there console that they don't need to bring the big boys out to play yet! Lastly, for the person who mentioned that at the last E3, MS was also showing off CGI clips! Sorry, but that a lie. All the games were running on basic DEV Kits, hence things not running at the full 60fps, and still looking good. Sony pushed out a load of CGI clips of Motorstorm, Killzone and an apparent real-time demo of MGS4. What troubles me though is that if Sony was that far behind with the console, that none of the specifics were finalised, what was MGS4 running on!? A PC perhaps! Also remember that Kojima stated in an interview that MGS4 would easily run on a 360! We'll soon see in May, but MS have done a great job so far apart from in Japan, but that could all change when they re-launch it in July with some titles that the Japanese public will actually like! FreeMonk 04.06.2006 22:31 Also, looks like the price has leaked for the PS3. 499-599 Euros, which equals to around $650-$750! Wow! Now's that pricy! I hope all the 13 year-old Sony Fanboys have been saving up your pocket money, because after buying the console, the extra controller, Component Cables (because Sony never give you decent TV cables), a game it's going to come to around $800-$900! Half the price I paid for my 360, pad, charger and a game! Wow! I bet though if Sony took the Blu-Ray drive out and put a standard DVD-Rom in, it'd be half the price, and still fit the game content on! Just look how big Oblivion is, and that has still got room on the disc! Sony are just trying to sell the Blu-Ray drives! That is what the PS3 is! A ploy to sell Blu-Ray! I'd laugh if Blu-Ray doesn't take off and HD-DVD does! That's why MS stayed to DVD-Roms, because nothing is set in stone. Once they know which way the market is going, they can release a drive for there console! MS thinking ahead again! Unregistered - kung fu lew 04.07.2006 00:21 # 13-is right on the money,and people are stating see and know that about sony. 360 is just more balanced!, than the ps3,its got loyal ps fans heated, becaus of the future they see coming.If it happend to me ,i won't lie! i might lash out too!.The days of the most powerful/don't matter ,its the fusion of dam good service,and qaulity of the console,a company that really cares about they're product and the gamers that play games on the 360.MS has a vision/and is not just trying to out do the competitore .So i say to you # 12 whats more powerful now Unregistered - Graf Ulrich 88 - Gamertag 04.07.2006 00:42 It amazes me that so many people want to suck up to Sony. I have a Sony Progessive Scan DVD player and Noise Canceling Headphones (They work great by the way), and PS1 and PS2. But even all this hasn't made me a fanboy. I only bought the PS1 and PS2 because of the RPG's I wanted to play from Working Designs (my favorite former delevoper), Atlus, Agetic, and Square Enix. I didn't buy them because I love Sony. Sony is not a true game company like Microsoft and Nintendo (Both reside in Redmenton, WA by the way). Microsoft has been developing games for more than 2 decades and that to me makes them a game developer. Sony made the inferior PS1 (in my opinion) compared the Sega Saturn. PS1 was basically saved by exclusive deals with Square (Now Square Enix), Enix, Working Designs (who left Sega Saturn after the former president of Sega put them in the back area at E3), and EA. I never had a problem with my Saturn, but my PS1 I had to replace about every year (serious overheating issues). The fanboys of today seem to forget the problems people had with the PS1 the first years it came out. In regards to MGS acquiring Lionhead Studios I am very happy. I have really enjoyed my Xbox and Xbox 360. It is next-gen, and anyone who says different is just fulling themselves and are probably Sony Fanboys/girls who don't really do any kind of research. These are same one's who don't even know the history of the video game industry. I can say that I do, since I've been part of it for 30 years (I started playing pong when I 7) and I have had the pleasure of knowing some of the top people in the industry. In time I plan on being one of the top publishers as well. In closing I'm very happy for MGS and Lionhead Studios. I would also recommend that MGS go after Epic, Bizarre Creations, and Rockstar Studios. It would benefit them to go after a Japanese publisher as well. Graf Ulrich 88 - Gamertag Unregistered - neutral 04.07.2006 09:09 I love my 360 but I prefer if some of you don't use BF2 as a gud game example yea its fun buts its certainly not nextgen. I played the demo and was not impressed at all..Have you seen the shadows and all the jaggies? I sure hope they fix those in time man. Shadows dissaperaing and reappearing as you move by them I've never seen shyt like dat. They still need more time on this game and should push it back. I'n conclusion, BF2 is not a good example and should be used to brag aobut the x360, that why we have graw, oblivion and other real next gen games for. Agree? Lucid360 04.07.2006 11:24 Man, to many good comments in this one. I am glad to see people talking about the REAL Sony story. Some Quick stuff.. I am still pissed I sold my Sega Saturn with 70 games also... That system did rock, people just didnt know about it. PS1 got over because of 3d and Square. Working Designs was a bad ass company, Sony will lie again at E3, and I will buy 3 PS3s and make a killing on ebay. Every console Sony has released has suffered from massive issues the least of which was availablility. If the xb360 sucked soooo bad why are their still people who want one and can afford it who dont have one?? Because they are that popular. PS3 first generation titles will be equally crap at the end of the lifecycle of it as most of the ones coming out for the 360. That is the nature of a development cycle for a console. The development cycle foir the 360 has been stated to be much easier by every developer who isnt getting a direct payday from Sony and a few who are (Kojimas comments about MGS running on a 360) Meaning that the 360 will reach its peek potential much earlier than the ps3 becazuse Sony likes to use nonstandard development tools, and very very bad dev kits for developers. And it is on their own to learn it. I think at the end we will end up with some games we cannot dream about how good they will be. Yes I was impressed with the CGI I saw last E3 from Sony.. If they can do it so can Microsoft, besides Sony is stealing the whole online thing from microsoft anyways because they realize they made a CRITICAL error and are trying to rush to9 fix it which means it will be free and you will get what you pay for. Unregistered - guest 04.07.2006 12:29 You guys are right on the money. I'll just conclude this discussion very briefly...IT IS NOT ABOUT THE TAD BIT PRETTIER GRAPHICS! IT IS ALL ABOUT THE GAMES AND ON-LINE PLAY!!! DISCUSSION OVER, WELCOME TO NEXT-GEN GAMING!!!!!!! Unregistered - ee 04.07.2006 13:09 Sony has done one thing and thats make everyone believe it is more powerful than the 360! I will never fall for there hype unless I see it and know for sure that it will push better physics and independent sound but also know that the balance will be to far off because the system is designed to push to many floating point operations! If you sit back and think about it and go back to last years e3 when Ken talked about there system being twice as powerful you can get the picture that they are in terms of floating points but Ms could say the same thing in terms of general purpose power and I don't see why everyone has forgotten the truth behind what helps make a great game! My friends you need not worry about the ps3 because the 360 graphically will be more powerful then the ps3 and it will show in years to come! Why everyone keeps thinking the ps3 is more powerful I will never know but don't let them fool you into thinking it is! I personaal think the ps3 will be xbox staus with amazing sound and physics but who am I! This time around I think that alot of Sony fans will realize that the Ps3 is years behind the 360 and will realize it in due time! Good job on buying Liuonhead but I do hope that bc is completely redone for the 360( or if it even still exists) from scratch and Fable 2 is as big as morrowind! Unregistered - Devon Williams 04.07.2006 16:12 12# Man, You are dumb and stupid sony fanboy. Obviously you hate america system. I am sick of sony fanboys come on message board and insult. Whatever, I still carless about PS3 and games. PS3 is still sucks and same crap as PS2. I never has own Playstation japan system. I hopefully Playstation die in the future and no more product. Sony fanboys are worst brainwash and tumor. I knew already XBOX360 is best graphic and online. I hopefully Microsoft buyout every developing to making exlcusive XBOX360. Unregistered - Master X 24 04.07.2006 17:31 Hell yeah # 20 Unregistered - Master X 24 04.07.2006 17:36 Before the ps2 came out sony hype it up with BS like you could surf the ne BS, great online play BS, toy story graphics BS. Sony talks alot of BS and fanboys eat it up and like # 21 said i think Blue Ray is a ploy thats all and sure the ps3 will be somewhat powerful but not alot as in the xbox was to the ps2 Unregistered - s 04.07.2006 19:58 H3 in-game! kill the competition!E3!!! haloalldaylo 04.08.2006 18:37 actually Ps2 was the worst launch! There was a shortage! toy story like graphics My ass! No Online! They Had crap games like Fantavision and Evergrace no MetalGear, GranTourismo or FinalFantasy at launch! at least Xbox 360 has an awsome online service Call of duty PGR and others and xbox live arcade! and Halo 2! and lots of cool features. So shut up Dude your a Idiot! haloalldaylo 04.08.2006 18:39 ^^ Unregistered - dman 04.08.2006 22:04 What gets me is that their are these crazed ps3 fans raving about how much more powerfull the ps3 is going to be over the 360. Well the orignal xbox made the ps2 look like a picie of crap when it came to power, but we didnt see any of them jumping over to the xbox, no they still continued to rave about how much better their system was, well now thier defence is that the ps3 is SO MUCH MORE POWERFULL, well if it didnt matter to you which system was stronger back then why should it matter now? ALL you ps3 retards are the biggest bunch of hypocrite's. Mighty Boom 04.10.2006 12:27 Im going to integrate both systems to come out with one mega system. LAGIZZTIC 04.10.2006 21:23 dam ps3 boys have nothing to gloat about so they half to start a war on here and just to clerify to those idiotic PS3 boys Did i hear right that Microsoft is trying to make companies exclusive? News Flash didn't Sony do that with Guerilla games so Socom couldn't be released on xbox360 Not to mention devil may cries god of war ratchet and clank and of course MGS4! So please get facts straight! Unregistered - Irony sucks 04.11.2006 23:08 Ok Ok ps3 Fanboys. you say your ps3 is more powerful than the 360. well the XBOX was more powerful than the PS2. WTF do u have to say about that. It does not matter if ur crying that ps3 is more "powerful" the ps2 was a good system and it was less powerful than the xbox. i remember back then, i only bought a ps2 because of gta3 and half-life. but then xbox came along with better games to my taste. so there you have it. that PROVES power means nothing. both ps2 and xbox were next gen at there time. both were good consoles. Unregistered - TIMDOG 04.12.2006 11:12 Read his post # 20. It about sums it up. PS3 isnt going to be that much better than Xbox360 graphically. It is going to come down to the games and right now Xbox360 is doing a great job. PS3 will probably eek out a win because of the bias in Japan against MS, but in the end MS and its strategy will prove correct. LAGIZZTIC 04.13.2006 14:42 Why are we so worried bout Sony and japan? Listen Sony has major comp and it will be split evenly thats if Sony doesn't take a loss to Nintendo do not count Nintendo out they been here forever and if their remote like controller is truely tons of fun to use which do you think The japs will pick up first! Come on Nintendo take out Sony their and our Xbox will take out Sony here! News Headlines 2009 Sony had decided to step down from making consoles! Unregistered - derek tardis 04.14.2006 04:32 hey its great to read about which is better and all the arguing what goes with it.. i personally always go for the under dog ie the saturn n64 thee xbox... i do believe though microsoft has got it right the games are well cool... i play live arcade games alot although the graphics ain't up to much i still have fun playin um... x360 rules lol Unregistered - Game Junkie 04.15.2006 22:48 Hey someone with sense please respond. Ms told the developers to design without the hdd in mind, how is this an issue and what are the pro's and con's if any. Sony has told the developers to design with the hdd in mine, what is their advantage to this if any. Please respond. Unregistered - my 360s gone bang 04.16.2006 07:29 my 360's f;;;t its flashing All 4 red lights cant get nothing off market place,i hear mortal kombat is comeing out and the moto gp demo.I havent even opend battelfeild 2, im gutted man.........i loves my 360.I gota wait 14 days for it 2 go back to the good boyz @ microsoft,but it could be longer coz its the bank holiday weekend.noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Unregistered - X Fan 04.18.2006 23:47 Xbox 360 is a very good system I might add. It has a full year to get head start on the PS3. Besides, the PS3 will have a big price tag. I'm guessing 499.99 or 599.99. Games would be the same at 60.00 dollars like 360. The 360 will have a nice libary of games when PS3 hits the shelves. But, I'm not taking anything away from sony. They have the Game crown. They aslo have at least 90 million units sold world wide. So, I would love to see both systems head to head one day. Unregistered - Jack 04.20.2006 00:58 All 4 lights flashing means there is a problem with the AV connection. Check the plugs and plug them in properly. Add Comment |
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