Microsoft Buys Game Studio Lionhead

By Nate Mook | Published April 6, 2006, 1:15 PM

Microsoft announced Thursday it had acquired British game developer Lionhead Studios, creator of the popular "Fable" role-playing game. The news came alongside a promise that Microsoft would remain committed to the Japanese market, where RPGs are far more popular than the first person shooters preferred in the United States.

Lionhead will develop games exclusively for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft's Windows desktop operating system. The studio's founder Peter Molyneux said the deal will give Lionhead "the stability and opportunity to focus on creating world-class next-generation titles." Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

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While we can all rejoice that Microsoft is buying Brit game-developers ...the real headline is that BetaNews is back to it's old bad habit of downgrading posts here against Apple and the Mac !

For a while, BetaNews moderators were slack in silencing anti-Apple voices in this forum.

But, praise be, they've returned to their duty of suppressing any effective voices of dissent !

Sure, the Mac has less than a 3% desktop market-share. Yet fain but it be disclosed on BetaNews.

Only smiley-face Steve Jobs public relations here on BetaNews !
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The Computer Rodent

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At least EA didn't snatch them up...

- Josh

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Lionhead studio was already had "the stability and opportunity to focus on creating world-class next-generation titles"

perhaps this game-developer speak for "BG offered me a shed load of cash to carry on doing what I'm already doing. How could I resist the dark lord!"

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Let's not forget Black & White and Black & White 2, both great games by this company :)

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Smart move on Microsoft's part. Well--only time will really tell us, I suppose.

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