If a decade ago a video game released on only one platform could be successful, today new titles have to be released on multiple platforms, including mobile. As a result, for in-house game studios the amount of rivals increased substantially, which basically transformed them into multi-format studios that are working on a wide range of various games, programs, etc.

"We are now really a multiplatform studio. We are not just building games for Xbox 360, we are building experiences for smart glass, we are building dedicated games for Windows Phone 8 and for Windows 8,” said Phil Harrison, vice president of the interactive entertainment business at Microsoft, reports GamesIndustry web-site.

Microsoft Game Studios no longer competes only with Nintendo or Sony Studios, it is competing against Apple, Amazon, Google and many other companies, who are developing video games for multiple platforms at the same time. In fact, given that many gamers want the same (or at least similar) content on different devices, virtually all game studios now have to go multi-format/multi-platform direction, or will risk to eventually extinct.

“We are no longer just competing with the traditional console companies, but our competitive landscape includes the likes of [Apple, Google and Amazon]. […] We think it is good for us, we think it is good for the industry and we think it also moves us into this network generation more aggressively and with more determination. This is in turn powered by the cloud, and this is another corporate investment that Microsoft is making the future of how technology and devices interact. We think of Microsoft as now being a devices and services company,” said Mr. Harrison.

Besides developing innovation titles, Microsoft Game Studios will also explore new business models and pioneering new ways to play on new devices.

Tags: Microsoft, Xbox, Windows 8, Windows, Windows Phone, Windows Phone 8, Apple, Amazon, Google