Compulsion Games completes Xbox exit, regains full rights to all its games
Compulsion Games is officially no longer part of Xbox. Per GameSpot and Rock Paper Shotgun, the developer behind South of Midnight and We Happy Few has completed its separation from Microsoft after being named in the tech giant's studio divestment plans earlier this year.
CEO Guillaume Provost confirmed the management buyout to Gamesbeat, stating the studio has regained the publishing rights to all its original intellectual properties. This means, as Rock Paper Shotgun notes, that revenue from Steam sales of games like South of Midnight now goes directly to Compulsion after Valve's cut.
Provost described the exit as "gracious on Microsoft’s part," adding that the company provided some financial assistance to help the studio transition to independence. He told Gamesbeat the deal was done to keep the team together, quoting staff who said they'd "rather eat rocks and drink gasoline than be split up."
While most team leads have stayed, some employees left after initially facing potential studio closure. Compulsion is now working on an unannounced project that began under Microsoft and is meeting with other companies for future opportunities.
Provost emphasized a cautious approach, telling Gamesbeat, "We’re going to take things slow." He noted the studio has weathered tough economic times before, having been founded during the 2009 recession.
