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Austin’s Twisted Pixel acquired by Microsoft Studios
Twisted Pixel, known for games like “The Gunstringer” (above) and ” ‘Splosion Man” has been making well-received games for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade service. “Gunstringer” was its first game for the Xbox 360 Kinect and it received good reviews and praise from Microsoft.
Some info that didn’t make it into the story by press time:
Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities who was briefed in advance on the deal said that Twisted Pixel’s games aren’t the top sellers on Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade service, but that they probably pull in $10 to $15 million in sales on budgets of about $1 million, making them highly profitable.
“These guys are creative,” Pachter said, “I know (Spencer) and he is really stoked about this acquisition. He wants something that really differentiates (Xbox Live Arcade) from (Sony’s PlayStation Network).”
“Gunstringer,” Pachter said, may have been the biggest factor in attracting Microsoft’s attention. “I think that really won Microsoft over that these guys can take any piece of technology and work it into a good game.”
Pachter said he doubts Microsoft will exert any creative restraints on the team. “Nothing will change for them except they’re going to be getting paychecks from Microsoft,” he said.
(Mug shots above: Microsoft Studios corporate vice president Phil Spencer and Twisted Pixel CEO Michael Wilford.)
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