Further expanding its library of independent game developers, Microsoft has scooped up a studio called Twisted Pixel.
The acquisition is unlikely to cause a huge stir within the industry, because Twixted Pixel had already been releasing games exclusively for the Xbox 360 through the Xbox Live Arcade.
The company’s big success was a game called Splosion Man, in which players run around as a cartoony character made of fire, supposedly the victim of a rogue science experiment.
The aim of the game is to escape the scientific laboratory in which he was imprisoned. It gained instant appeal largely because of the button that allowed the character to explode on command.
More recently, the studio has been gaining attention for The Gunstringer, a captivating game set in the Wild West, where everyone moves around like a marionette.
It’s unclear why Microsoft needed to purchase Twisted Pixel, though it’s likely because the company was gaining a lot of attention and Microsoft wanted to seize the opportunity before it was too late.
“Twisted Pixel has an incredible track record of innovative, critically acclaimed, and most importantly, fun, games,” said Microsoft VP Phil Spencer in a statement.
