Xbox TWO News: Microsoft hire Sunset Overdrive director for next-gen studio (Pic: MICROSOFT)
Microsoft's campaign of hiring developers and bringing in skilled staff continues this week with another big get for the company.
After a stint working for Insomniac, Sunset Overdrive director Drew Murray has joined The Initiative, one of Microsoft's first-party development studios.
Murray – who has great credits on Insomniac projects from Ratchet and Clank and Sunset Overdrive – announced that he joined the developer via a tweet which you can see below.
Drew Murray joins alumni from Sony Santa Monica, Rockstar and Tomb Raider – it's safe to say Microsoft is putting together a high pedigree studio here.
Microsoft has characterised The Initiative as a new triple-A studio positioned to make new first-party exclusive for the Xbox One, competing with Sony's products like Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War and Days Gone.
Microsoft has been fairly aggressively expanding its roster of studios lately: it purchased Hellbade creators Ninja Theory earlier this year, and more recently acquired inExile Entertainment and RPG maestros, Obsidian.
The Initiative has yet to announce what it's working on, but there are some theories knocking around online about what the company could be planning next.
Since The Initiative only got announced at E3, we're not expecting a reveal of the studio's title imminently. Instead, it's likely that the studio's game is aimed at the next generation on games consoles – specifically, the Xbox Scarlett.
Christian Cantamessa is a narrative consultant at the studio, having left her last role as a lead designer and writer on Red Dead Redemption.
Brian Westergaard, lead producer on God of War 2018, is also present at the company.
It's safe to say whatever The Initiative is working on, it's going to be good.
Don't expect a reveal until E3 2019, though.
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