Former Rare Boss Craig Duncan Takes The Helm At Xbox Game Studios As Current Head Alan Hartman Sets Retirement
Xbox Game Studios is undergoing a significant leadership change. Alan Hartman, the current head of the studio, prepares to retire next month. He has had an extensive career with Xbox and contributed to major projects ranging from Age of Empires to Forza. He has held the top position at Xbox Game Studios for just a year.
“Alan’s career has been marked by innovation, dedication, and an unwavering passion for gaming,” says Microsoft’s Matt Booty. He started at Microsoft in 1988 and led numerous projects, including the founding of Turn 10 Studios, which created the successful Forza franchise.
Former Rare Boss Craig Duncan to Lead Xbox Game Studios
Hartman’s departure marks a new chapter for Xbox as Rare studio head Craig Duncan will be stepping into the role, according to gamesindustry.biz. Duncan is no stranger to Microsoft after having worked at Rare for 14 years. During his time there, he oversaw the successful launch of Sea of Thieves.
Sea of Thieves was a game that became a major driver for Microsoft’s Game Pass service. Booty expressed confidence in Duncan’s ability to lead the studios, highlighting his role in fostering “high-quality, differentiated game experiences.”
A New Challenge for Xbox Amidst Recent Struggles
As Xbox looks to the future under Duncan’s leadership, it faces the challenge of maintaining consistent success across its large studio portfolio. Despite recent successes, including critically acclaimed titles and anticipation for upcoming games like Avowed, Xbox Game Studios has experienced its share of missteps
In particular, Halo’s development studio, 343 Industries announced a rebrand and strategic change just weeks ago, which for many fans of the Halo franchise, left them wondering exactly what that change entails. This doesn’t include issues with the Fable reboot that the same left fans worried after Matt Booty made claims about the game and modern sensibilities.
So what can be expected from Duncan’s Leadership?
With him taking the helm, one of Duncan’s major responsibilities will be overseeing Halo’s evolution under its new studio identity; which in itself can be a full-time job. But beyond Halo, Xbox Game Studios boasts an impressive lineup that includes Playground Games (Fable), Obsidian Entertainment (Avowed), Ninja Theory (Hellblade), and many others.
Even though Microsoft’s resources and talent pool are substantial when compared to its peers in the industry, it doesn’t mean that they have the mojo to make it happen. So for many fans of these franchises, it will take some time before we know what exactly Duncan’s effect on the studio might be.
Duncan’s new leadership role will be closely watched, especially given Microsoft’s need for strong hits across its studios. With major titles on the horizon, Xbox fans and investors alike will be eager to see how he can bring the same success he cultivated at Rare to Xbox’s broader game development efforts.
As Booty notes, “Craig will continue to focus on helping our studios deliver high-quality, differentiated game experiences that can grow into successful franchises and reach more players by investing in new IP.” With this vision, Xbox Game Studios seems set on delivering experiences that resonate with gamers while growing its massive player base.
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