Playground Games
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Type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Industry | Video games |
Founded | 2010 |
Founders |
|
Headquarters | , England |
Number of locations | 2 (2017)[1] |
Key people | |
Products | Forza Horizon series |
Number of employees | 200+[1] (2017) |
Parent | Xbox Game Studios (2018–present) |
Website | playground-games.com |
Playground Games Limited is a British video game developer based in Leamington Spa, England. It is known for developing the Forza Horizon series, which is part of the larger Forza franchise. In 2018, Playground Games became part of Microsoft Studios (now known as Xbox Game Studios).[2] They are also currently in development of the next game in the Fable series.[3][4]
History[]
Playground Games was founded by Gavin Raeburn,[5] Trevor Williams[6] and Ralph Fulton; the studio was announced in November 2009, with its opening scheduled for early 2010.[7][8] Playground Games announced their first project, Forza Horizon, in 2012.[7] The title was developed in collaboration with Turn 10 Studios and published by Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360 in October that year. The studio released Forza Horizon 2 on Xbox 360 and Xbox One in September 2014, and Forza Horizon 3 on Xbox One and Microsoft Windows in September 2016.[9]
In February 2014, Playground Games announced that they were forming a new development team focused on mobile games.[10] In February 2017, the studio detailed plans to open a second studio, focusing on a non-racing open-world video game project.[1] In November, they announced they had leased St. Albans House in Leamington Spa, which would provide the new studio with more than 17,000 square feet of office space.[11][12] Expected headcounts for both studios were in excess of 200 people.[13]
At E3 2018, Microsoft announced they had acquired Playground Games, which became part of Microsoft Studios (now known as Xbox Game Studios).[2][14][15] At the same time, Microsoft Studios also announced Forza Horizon 4, which would be released on 2 October 2018,[16] and that the studio was working on an unannounced AAA Open-World Action RPG project, later revealed to be in the Fable franchise[3][4]
Games developed[]
Year | Title | Platform(s) |
---|---|---|
2012 | Forza Horizon | Xbox 360 |
2014 | Forza Horizon 2 | Xbox 360, Xbox One |
2016 | Forza Horizon 3 | Microsoft Windows, Xbox One |
2018 | Forza Horizon 4 | Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
2021 | Forza Horizon 5 | Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
TBA | Fable | Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Batchelor, James (7 February 2017). "Playground Games opening second studio for open world game". GamesIndustry.biz.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Field, Matthew (11 June 2018). "Microsoft buys UK game studio behind Forza Horizon". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Gartenberg, Chaim (10 June 2018). "Microsoft announces Forza Horizon 4 for Xbox One and PC". The Verge.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Playground Games Hiring For "Entirely New AAA Open World Action RPG"". 4 October 2019.
- ^ "Introducing the 100 most influential people working in the British games industry - 2017". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^ "Trevor Williams quits Codemasters". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Playground confirmed as Forza Horizon developer". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^ TWK. "Fast Track". Fast Track. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^ E3 2016: Forza Horizon 3 Revealed, Release Date Announced - IGN, retrieved 7 October 2020
- ^ Chapple, Craig (20 February 2014). "Playground Games forms new mobile team". MCV.
- ^ "Major expansion at Leamington gaming company". AC Lloyd Asset Management. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^ Cleaver, Sean (22 November 2017). "Playground Games secure a new Leamington Spa office". MCV.
- ^ Batchelor, James (23 November 2017). "Playground Games hires GTA V, Metal Gear Solid and Hellblade devs for open-world action RPG". GamesIndustry.biz.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (10 June 2018). "Microsoft buys Ninja Theory, Playground Games, more". Eurogamer.
- ^ Grubb, Jeff (10 June 2018). "Microsoft Game Studios just added five new studios including Ninja Theory". Archived from the original on 10 June 2018.
- ^ "Forza Horizon 4 Announced". TrueAchievements. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
External links[]
- 2010 establishments in England
- 2018 mergers and acquisitions
- British companies established in 2010
- British subsidiaries of foreign companies
- Companies based in Leamington Spa
- First-party video game developers
- Forza (series)
- Microsoft subsidiaries
- Video game companies established in 2010
- Video game companies of the United Kingdom
- Video game development companies
- Xbox Game Studios