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Playground Games

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Playground Games Limited
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
Founded2010; 14 years ago (2010)
Founders
  • Gavin Raeburn
  • Trevor Williams
  • Ralph Fulton
Headquarters
Leamington Spa
,
England
Number of locations
2 (2017)[1]
Key people
Products
Number of employees
200+[1] (2017)
ParentXbox Game Studios (2018–present)
Websiteplayground-games.com

Playground Games Limited is a British video game developer based in Leamington Spa, England. It is known for developing the Forza Horizon series, which is part of the larger Forza franchise. In 2018, Playground Games became part of Microsoft Studios (now known as Xbox Game Studios).[2] They are also developing the next game in the Fable series.[3][4]

History

Playground Games was founded by Gavin Raeburn,[5] Trevor Williams[6] and Ralph Fulton; the studio was announced in November 2009, with its opening scheduled for early 2010.[7][8] Playground Games announced their first project, Forza Horizon, in 2012.[7] The title was developed in collaboration with Turn 10 Studios and published by Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360 in October that year. The studio released Forza Horizon 2 on Xbox 360 and Xbox One in September 2014, and Forza Horizon 3 on Xbox One and Microsoft Windows in September 2016.[9]

In February 2014, Playground Games announced that they were forming a new development team focused on mobile games.[10] In February 2017, the studio detailed plans to open a second studio, focusing on a non-racing open-world video game project.[1] In November, they announced they had leased St. Albans House in Leamington Spa, which would provide the new studio with more than 17,000 square feet of office space.[11][12] Expected headcounts for both studios were in excess of 200 people.[13]

At E3 2018, Microsoft announced they had acquired Playground Games, which became part of Microsoft Studios (now known as Xbox Game Studios).[2][14][15] At the same time, Microsoft Studios also announced Forza Horizon 4, which would be released on 2 October 2018,[16] and that the studio was working on an unannounced AAA Open-World Action RPG project, later revealed to be in the Fable franchise.[3][4]

In January 2022, it was reported that co-founder and studio director Gavin Raeburn left Playground Games, while GM Trevor Williams replaced him as studio head.[17]

Games developed

Year Title Platform(s)
2012 Forza Horizon Xbox 360
2014 Forza Horizon 2 Xbox 360, Xbox One
2016 Forza Horizon 3 Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
2018 Forza Horizon 4 Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
2021 Forza Horizon 5
TBA Fable Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S

References

  1. ^ a b c Batchelor, James (7 February 2017). "Playground Games opening second studio for open world game". GamesIndustry.biz.
  2. ^ a b Field, Matthew (11 June 2018). "Microsoft buys UK game studio behind Forza Horizon". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  3. ^ a b Gartenberg, Chaim (10 June 2018). "Microsoft announces Forza Horizon 4 for Xbox One and PC". The Verge.
  4. ^ a b "Playground Games Hiring For "Entirely New AAA Open World Action RPG"". 4 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Introducing the 100 most influential people working in the British games industry - 2017". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Trevor Williams quits Codemasters". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Playground confirmed as Forza Horizon developer". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  8. ^ TWK. "Fast Track". Fast Track. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  9. ^ E3 2016: Forza Horizon 3 Revealed, Release Date Announced - IGN, retrieved 7 October 2020
  10. ^ Chapple, Craig (20 February 2014). "Playground Games forms new mobile team". MCV.
  11. ^ "Major expansion at Leamington gaming company". AC Lloyd Asset Management. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  12. ^ Cleaver, Sean (22 November 2017). "Playground Games secure a new Leamington Spa office". MCV.
  13. ^ Batchelor, James (23 November 2017). "Playground Games hires GTA V, Metal Gear Solid and Hellblade devs for open-world action RPG". GamesIndustry.biz.
  14. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (10 June 2018). "Microsoft buys Ninja Theory, Playground Games, more". Eurogamer.
  15. ^ Grubb, Jeff (10 June 2018). "Microsoft Game Studios just added five new studios including Ninja Theory". Archived from the original on 10 June 2018.
  16. ^ "Forza Horizon 4 Announced". TrueAchievements. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  17. ^ Corden, Jez (5 January 2022). "Playground Games' co-founder Trevor Williams is set to replace Gavin Raeburn as Studio Head". Windows Central. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
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