Microsoft confirms acquisition of Lionhead

Peter Molyneux's Lionhead Studios joins the likes of Bungie, Rare, and Ensemble at Microsoft Game Studios.

Following weeks of speculation, Microsoft today confirmed that it has purchased Lionhead Studios for an undisclosed sum. Best known for its Black & White and Fable series, the Guildford-based studio headed up by Peter Molyneux will now develop exclusively for the Xbox 360 and Windows platforms.

"We could not be more excited about being part of Microsoft Game Studios. They have long supported our creative vision, and this teamwork resulted in the hugely successful Fable franchise," said Molyneux, managing director of Lionhead Studios. "This acquisition gives Lionhead the stability and opportunity to focus on creating world-class next-generation titles. We are joining some of the most incredible game creators in the industry, the combined talent of which will truly take next-generation gaming to a new level."

It has been an eventful year thus far for Lionhead Studios. The company was rumored to be the subject of a bidding war between Microsoft and Ubisoft earlier this year, had its console versions of The Movies canceled by Activision, and is currently believed to be working on only two games with a staff that's some 50 bodies lighter than it was a couple of months ago. We'll bring you more information on Lionhead Studios' upcoming games as soon as it becomes available.

195 Comments

  • firefruze

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 4:03 pm PT

    hey did any body get that , although its pretty obvious that its going to happen he said " fable franchise" a franchise is more than 1 yay! Now if only they could restart BC

  • Randomd00d

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 4:02 pm PT

    sounds ok... idont realy care... but fable or something like it would be kool for the GC....

  • loppol1

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 2:42 pm PT

    As a HUGE fan of Fable I say that this was an excelent purcase and that I cannot wait for a new Fable Game

  • animal579

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 1:29 pm PT

    please let another fable come out with even more custmization than ever before

  • creeploc

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 11:15 am PT

    Fable 2 on the 360 hot damn.... More money,no more problems ya heard me.

  • superflipmick

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 10:57 am PT

    this is stupid, they already only cater to MS...good work, IDIOTS

  • mr_squibble

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 9:58 am PT

    I actually don't really care as I've never played any of Lionhead's games. They've had to impact on my gaming history whatsoever. If Molyneux is as creative as so many people think he is, then hopfully M$ will be a good vehicle for his studio's games to shine. It will take a pretty bright and shiny one to catch my eye, that's for sure.

  • notm3

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 9:47 am PT

    Bravo Microsoft,

    Way to pay to buy a company that exclusively made games for your systems in the first place.....

  • nishamuffypuppy

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 9:35 am PT

    I really dont care

  • Batosai001

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 9:14 am PT

    This is excellent. Microsoft has Rare for Platformers, and perfect dark, Bungie for Halo, and Lionhead studios for guess what? RPG's, the one thing XBox really needed last generation. Now don't get me wrong, I loved KOTOR and am currently enjoying Jade Empire, but this ensures that the big M will have the content that they need when other developers arent delivering (not that they won't). But I still feel that MS needs Japanese RPGs as well. I'm a huge Final Fantasy fan, and I woul like to see what Square would do with this hardware, besides port a two year old game over (I hate the fact that you level down when you die). Anyway, I can't wait to see what Lionhead Studios has up it's sleve!!!!!!!

  • Evilbunz

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 9:11 am PT

    uhhhh. bad choice ms but bill gates hs the $$.

  • hardcore0115

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 9:09 am PT

    yay, we'll have a new exclusive in 6 years

  • CaptainCrazy

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 8:40 am PT

    Hopefully MS plans to whip this gaming studio into shape to produce some great exclusive games because their past performance has been a bit lackluster.

  • smo_doggy

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 8:31 am PT

    The company who benefits most here is Lionhead, limited time and resources have let them down in the past, Microsofts deep pockets could help Lionhead bring us the next big thing.

  • cottcody

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 7:35 am PT

    Finaly Microsoft makes a good deal, and obtains a company that will work well

  • foxhound421

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 6:59 am PT


    "Someone get Molyneux a copy of Oblivion, btw."
    HA!

  • ebonyflame

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 6:35 am PT

    Good for them. I hope this acquisition of Lionhead produces better games than the purchase of Rare did. Lets face it, now that they are purchased wholly, what was one lifetime we had to wait for their games will now become 5 lifetimes as Lionhead has yet to release a game in a timely fashion. And as for Rare's purchase, I have yet to see anything original from them except for a lot of ports of old games and one original property that was an average entry at best.

  • mickel_darmawan

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 6:29 am PT

    Another blood sucking program from money $oft, she is on the move ... scary greedy she is.

  • Adam_GI

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 5:39 am PT

    At least it's not EA.

  • _man1c_

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 5:27 am PT

    BCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBCBC.. thats all they need to show at E3. wanna roam in that world so so badly. here t-rex's growl. watch the other smaller dinos run in packs. oh man it would be a travesty not to give out a demo of it on LIVE/marketplace.

  • that1gamer

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 5:02 am PT

    ok

  • Sheegot

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 4:29 am PT

    So THAT'S what happend to RARE!!! Consider how many money microsoft has; how many studios they could buy!
    ---------
    / \
    l l
    \-----------/
    ooo
    lllll
    **

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 4:26 am PT

    This is late, but I just recently saw this post from benasty712 on page 5, the 1st post, in which he (or she, not sure) asks me a good question: what good games has Sony made?

    Answer: God of War was a good one. Um, that's it, though; I can't think of any other games that were good.

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 2:25 am PT

    Great!

  • Gamingcucumber

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 2:12 am PT

    Possiblegamer = not so cool

  • Gamingcucumber

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 2:11 am PT

    Hmm a very bad buyout for MS.

    Black and White on the Xbox360 = Not so cool

    Fable = Decent, but not so cool
    ___

    I actually think that MS would have saved some money if they let Ubisoft buy them. At least the games would still be good and we could all enjoy them.

    Lets face it, there isn't a Xbox exclusive game that would have become half as big if it wasn't for the master hype a là Halo except for Ninja Gaiden and Panzer Dragon. All the other games turned out medicore or OK or just decent.

    Fable
    PDZ
    Kameo
    Halo
    Blinx
    and the god forsaken Grabbed By The Ghoulies.

  • Milso

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 12:38 am PT

    I see this as a good thing. Fable was still a pretty good game, but if you read all the early previews it's hard not to be disapointed, they had to keep cutting features due to lack of time and money. Now that they're funded by Microsoft, Fable 2 could actually be what Fable was supposed to be. Bring back the massivly open areas, kids, roaming heroes, fans that copy you, every item as a weapon, and everything else they promised.

  • mikekare79

    Posted Apr 7, 2006 12:33 am PT

    Good!! This gives them stability in this rough market. They'll be around forever now!!

  • LordN3on

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 11:30 pm PT

    Better MS than EA IMO!

  • johnathan111

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 10:40 pm PT

    Thats great news.

  • Ernice

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 9:56 pm PT

    oh shucks, i hate takeovers

  • haggisbag

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 9:50 pm PT

    Microsoft to ensire VISTA only games.

  • FallenAngel

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 9:22 pm PT

    Hmm...LIonhead going the way of Rare now I reckon?

  • Sagacious_Tien

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 9:10 pm PT

    Good purchase, Microsoft.

  • PossibleGamer

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 9:04 pm PT

    "You nintendo and sony fanboys need to stop crying and **** This is one of the big steps microsoft needs to take to win the console wars. They need to get exclusives just like sony and nintendo. Especially with all the sequels those japanese companies got. This is awesome, microsoft is gonna kick sony and nintendo's a** all the way back to japan...wait a minute, I meant to say out of japan. lol."
    Hahahaha. Nintendo and sony fanboys he says. WOW

    I give Molyneux *checks watch* say three weeks under microsoft.

  • spitfire1856

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 8:59 pm PT

    I think this a great idea for Microsoft and lionhead. Lionhead has made what could be very awsome games, but don't quite make it up there. I think funding from Microsoft could be just what they need.

  • rgsniper1

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 8:55 pm PT

    ^ You do realize that the revolution is highly banking on cast-off previously-in-the-bin games to help them compete with MS and Sony in the next genderation console war right? Cause last time I checked most of the Nintendo and Sega games could be bought for just a few bucks in a bin at eb games or other software stores.

    Not that i'm knocking the revolution as I'll probably pick one up for the few exclusive NEW games worthwhile. But just to put it in perspective, Nintendo pretty much exclusivly hypes there classic game download service.

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 8:14 pm PT

    i think i can safely speak for the fanboy in us all when i say Revolution fans don't care what lame cast-off previously-in-the-bin games your 360 gets. you think a Revolution fan cares about ''awesome'' B&W or B.C.? dream on, both are totally unimportant franchises... and Molyneaux will announce his departure soon anyway. perhaps it is you who should S-T-F-U

  • Go0pynose

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 7:59 pm PT

    Molyneux's a SELLOUT

  • DarkKefka

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 7:42 pm PT

    Does this mean we wont see Black & White on the DS and PSP? I hate you Microsoft!!!

  • mastertony88

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 7:35 pm PT

    You nintendo and sony fanboys need to stop crying and STFU! This is one of the big steps microsoft needs to take to win the console wars. They need to get exclusives just like sony and nintendo. Especially with all the sequels those japanese companies got. This is awesome, microsoft is gonna kick sony and nintendo's a** all the way back to japan...wait a minute, I meant to say out of japan. lol.

  • PackersRock

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 7:29 pm PT

    Good, i'd rather have M$ publishing their stuff than EA.

  • komdosina

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 7:11 pm PT

    Oh dear, I guess there will be no Black and White for the Revolutions, dam. I hope they at-least get BC back on track this next-gen.

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 6:57 pm PT

    Perfect Dark makes Jo look like a lady of the evening. a cheap one. Rareware = completely lost it e.g Paul McCartney on his eighties work '' I admit it, i completely did a Rareware''

  • poodeek

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 6:48 pm PT

    Rare still rocks. Perfect Dark and Kameo are AAA games. Why so much hate?

  • Superbustacap

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 6:43 pm PT

    Wow you don't know what you're talking about.

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 6:40 pm PT

    haha they will end up as utterly USELESS as Rareware. best thing Nintendo ever did was sell Rare.

  • pvf777

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 6:37 pm PT

    Dungeon Keeper 3 behbeh!!!

  • DrinkDuff

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 6:32 pm PT

    I'm not so sure about this one.... I mean, look at what Microsoft did to Rare.... Too bad, I say.

  • krs_bg

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 6:02 pm PT

    "They see innovative ideas and buy them to profit from them"

    This is what ALL large corporations do, not just Microsoft.

    Take a look at Google's recent acquisitions and you'll see the same. A lot of their much publicized tools were developed by other companies that Google simply bought.

    This how the world is today let's just deal with it.

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