Develop source: Xbox Soho studio turns to games

Microsoft has quietly overhauled its London studio – with a development team now working on full Xbox games, Develop understands.

The team is building “family entertainment games”, likely utilising Kinect, Develop has been told.

The Develop Award-winning camera-based controller was designed to help widen the audience of the Xbox 360 console platform.

Xbox Live Studio Soho, which quietly opened in 2008, has never been formally announced by Microsoft.

But it initially housed a small core group who were responsible for building software such as Xbox’s Sky Player application, which was introduced in late 2009.

Earlier in the year the studio appeared to have undergone a change of guard, adding staff more specific to games development as others moved on.

Microsoft has declined to comment.

In May, it was discovered that Microsoft had discretely relaunched a studio in Canada as well.

MGS Vancouver, formerly known as Zipline Studios, quietly slipped into public view with its new website. The two-floor outfit is developing an FPS title using Kinect, if employee resumes are to be believed.