Playground Games
British video game developer
Type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Industry | Video games |
Founded | 2010 ; 13 years ago ( 2010 ) |
Founders |
|
Headquarters |
,
England
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Number of locations
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2 (2017) [1] |
Key people
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Products |
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Number of employees
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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 developing 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]
In January 2022, it was reported that co-founder and studio director Gavin Raeburn left Playground Games to open his own studio, [17] while GM Trevor Williams replaced him as studio head. [18]
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 | |
TBA | Fable | Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S |
References
- 1 2 3 Batchelor, James (7 February 2017). "Playground Games opening second studio for open world game" . GamesIndustry.biz . Archived from the original on 21 September 2020 . Retrieved 6 February 2019 .
- 1 2 Field, Matthew (11 June 2018). "Microsoft buys UK game studio behind Forza Horizon" . The Telegraph . ISSN 0307-1235 . Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 . Retrieved 7 October 2020 .
- 1 2 Gartenberg, Chaim (10 June 2018). "Microsoft announces Forza Horizon 4 for Xbox One and PC" . The Verge . Archived from the original on 11 June 2018 . Retrieved 6 July 2018 .
- 1 2 "Playground Games Hiring For "Entirely New AAA Open World Action RPG" " . 4 October 2019. Archived from the original on 17 August 2020 . Retrieved 2 January 2020 .
- ↑ "Introducing the 100 most influential people working in the British games industry - 2017" . GamesIndustry.biz . Archived from the original on 1 October 2020 . Retrieved 7 October 2020 .
- ↑ "Trevor Williams quits Codemasters" . GamesIndustry.biz . Archived from the original on 21 June 2021 . Retrieved 7 October 2020 .
- 1 2 "Playground confirmed as Forza Horizon developer" . GamesIndustry.biz . Archived from the original on 21 June 2021 . Retrieved 7 October 2020 .
- ↑ TWK. "Fast Track" . Fast Track . Archived from the original on 21 June 2021 . Retrieved 7 October 2020 .
- ↑ E3 2016: Forza Horizon 3 Revealed, Release Date Announced - IGN , archived from the original on 11 August 2022 , 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. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021 . 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 . Archived from the original on 23 November 2017 . Retrieved 6 February 2019 .
- ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (10 June 2018). "Microsoft buys Ninja Theory, Playground Games, more" . Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 . Retrieved 20 June 2018 .
- ↑ 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 . Archived from the original on 11 November 2021 . Retrieved 7 October 2020 .
- ↑ Batchelor, James (27 March 2023). "New AAA studio Lighthouse Games formed by Playground co-founder Gavin Raeburn" . GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023 . Retrieved 28 March 2023 .
- ↑ Corden, Jez (5 January 2022). "Playground Games' co-founder Trevor Williams is set to replace Gavin Raeburn as Studio Head" . Windows Central . Archived from the original on 7 January 2022 . Retrieved 7 January 2022 .
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