Rare and World’s Edge now fall under Activision’s remit.
Xbox’s major reset continues with a series of changes, one of which will see Activision expand its remit to include Rare and World’s Edge. Activision will also be developing the next Halo title.
Rare is a long-running British studio best known for its work with Nintendo before being acquired by Microsoft in 2002 and becoming a staple of the company’s first-party lineup. In the modern era, Rare is best known for Sea of Thieves, which launched in 2018 and has continued to receive major updates ever since.
Meanwhile, World’s Edge is a studio primarily focused on the Age of Empires franchise, which is approaching its 30th anniversary. The studio was established in 2019, following the closure of the franchise’s original developer, Ensemble Studios, in 2009.
The studio shifts at Xbox come as part of its second round of restructuring, which saw 268 employees laid off, Obsidian placed under Bethesda’s leadership, and Playground Games and Turn 10 merged, among other changes. The first phase of the reset came three months ago, when Xbox laid off 3,200 staff and made further changes across its studios.
Why are Rare and World’s Edge being transferred to Activision?
As per the announcement by Microsoft chief content officer Matt Booty, the reorganisation of Xbox’s studios is intended “to strengthen our franchises and games by operating fewer business units, aligning groups that already work closely together, and focusing our publishing expertise.”
While these studios will continue operating, several have parted ways with Xbox entirely, with Undead Labs becoming independent and Ninja Theory pulling the plugs.
The Xbox reset, led by new president Asha Sharma, is reportedly set to span 100 days as the company attempts to overcome business challenges, including increasing competition, declining revenue and rising hardware costs.
