Microsoft establishes Vancouver studio, evidence suggests work underway on Kinect shooter

By Adam Rosenberg May 3, 2011

Microsoft released its full body motion control peripheral Kinect for Xbox 360 last November. It was an immediate success, enough to move 10 million units in a matter of months and earn the Guinness Book of World Records distinction of being the Fastest Selling Consumer Electronics Device. While that’s great news for the company, many questioned and continue now to question the value of the peripheral for the so-called “core” gamers, the people who spend their gaming hours with the likes of Call of Duty and Halo. It’s an ongoing discussion that Microsoft is undoubtedly aware of and working to address.

Enter the company’s newly established Vancouver studio, the latest addition to the Microsoft Game Studios collective of developers. The just-launched website for MGS Vancouver indicates that the studio is all about creating serious games for serious gamers. “We want smart, creative people who can create exciting experiences that core gamers will really want to play,” the about page reads. The site also notes that the team shares resources with BigPark Studios, the MGS development house based in Vancouver behind the Kinect launch title Kinect Joy Ride.

Now here’s where things get a little more interesting. A NeoGAF poster turned up an online resume for art director Shawn Woods. It seems to have since been changed, but Gamasutra notes that the doc originally mentioned “a core AAA shooter experience using Kinect” in connection with the studio now known as MGS Vancouver.

Whether or not Woods’ resume changed in an attempt to keep the news quiet or because it was simply in error, Microsoft is obviously looking for a way to crack Kinect for “core” gamers. Supporting the device with PC drivers is a nice first step if you’re in the modding community, but it’s going to take some deep, compelling gaming experiences to win over the large twin thumbstick-twirling audience.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

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