Microsoft Vancouver Renamed, Working on New AAA Franchise

by William D'Angelo, posted on 29 November 2012 / 5,993 Views

Microsoft has renamed its Vancouver studio to Black Tusk Studios. The studio currently has 55 employees and is hiring more staff. The biggest is that the studio will be working on the next big AAA exclusive franchise for the Xbox.

"Being a first-party studio at Microsoft means having both the mandate and the opportunity to think and act big," read the studio's official website. "All of Microsoft’s studios share the same commitment to innovation and quality, along with support from a world-class global marketing, sales, and distribution organization."

"As part of the Microsoft Studios family, Black Tusk is able to leverage resources, technology, and experience from other first-party studios such as 343 Industries, Turn 10 Studios, Rare, Lionhead Studios, Good Science Studio and Twisted Pixel Games."

Studio manager Mike Crump, speaking with The Vancouver Sun, is looking at building the next Halo. "We are working on Microsoft’s next big entertainment franchise. We’re not working on an existing franchise, we’re looking to build the next Halo here in Vancouver, for example, which is really exciting."

"We have been officially green-lit by Microsoft executives to go ahead with the project that we’re on. That’s the way game development works — it’s just like making a movie, you go through pitching and concepting and then at some point you have a very large meeting with the executive team and present your full pitch with the business plan and you get the green light, so that’s happened for us."


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9 Comments

Wh1pL4shL1ve_007
Wh1pL4shL1ve_007 (on 29 November 2012)

Lets cross our fingers and hope that this is not a kinect game.

  • +5
1337 Gamer
1337 Gamer (on 29 November 2012)

Interesting...Hope they got something good cause MS desperately needs another flagship title.

  • +2
happydolphin
happydolphin (on 30 November 2012)

Black Tusk Studios, I like it. Sounds like it'll cater to the older-teen market, and that's a good thing.

  • +1
Mojammer
Mojammer (on 29 November 2012)

If I had my druthers it would be an FPS for the next gen xbox to compete with Call of Duty.

  • +1
NobleTeam360
NobleTeam360 (on 29 November 2012)

I doubt it's going to be a kinect game since he said it would be AAA.

  • +1
Kai Master
Kai Master (on 29 November 2012)

A coD killer I'm sure. CoD's are so weak and so successful at the same time that I'm wondering every day why nobody outperformed this series ! There's a big opportinity, just make an awesome looking game with human weapons (not awful futuristic/alien lasers) with a lot of firing noise and that's it/hit.

  • 0
JOKA_
JOKA_ (on 01 December 2012)

You just described Battlefield 3, and it did not out perform CoD sales-wise

  • 0
SecondWar
SecondWar (on 29 November 2012)

How can they say they're working on a AAA franchise if it's a new IP? Surely you'd have to wait for the reviews before you class it as one. They also seem to be getting confused with their new IP and Halo 5.

  • 0
JayWood2010
JayWood2010 (on 29 November 2012)

AAA has nothing to do with rating. AAA is just a budget.

  • +8
Potable_Toe
Potable_Toe (on 29 November 2012)

I believe he is talking about the use of the word 'franchise', if the game is a complete and utter flop then there will be no further installments in the IP and thus no franchise.

  • +1
Wh1pL4shL1ve_007
Wh1pL4shL1ve_007 (on 29 November 2012)

Lets cross our fingers and hope that this is not a kinect game.

  • -2

Comments below voting threshold

PlaystaionGamer
PlaystaionGamer (on 29 November 2012)

Hopefully not another FPS/shooter. Il buy a next box if they actually have game verity next time around. If its just shooters like the 360 il pass.

  • -9
sales2099
sales2099 (on 29 November 2012)

lol you would pass with that username.

  • +1
happydolphin
happydolphin (on 30 November 2012)

Sales, you can't judge a player on his username or avi you silly duck.

  • 0
ganoncrotch
ganoncrotch (on 30 November 2012)

How about his massive biased against the 360 HappyD? can we judge based on that?! I'm fairly sure I've seen a game or two on the 360 that isn't a shooter :o

  • +1