Internal sports slate at Microsoft Game Studios is wiped clean as the Salt Lake City dev shop behind Links, Amped, and Top Spin is sold off.
The end of sports game development at Microsoft Game Studios is one that can now be viewed as having two last gasps. The first was the one felt when Microsoft laid off 76 employees attached to the NFL Fever, NHL Rivals, and Inside Drive teams in early August. The second came sometime within the last three months when the ink dried on a contract that saw Microsoft sell its Salt Lake City-based studio responsible for the Amped and Links sports franchises to Take-Two Interactive.
The sale was revealed today during Take-Two"s earnings call. The studio also oversaw development of Top Spin by Paris-based studio Power and Magic Developments. During today"s call, Take-Two president Paul Eibeler confirmed that sometime during the August-September quarter, it purchased the Utah studio from Microsoft. He referred to the studio by its current name, Indie Built, and did not mention which of Take-Two"s three subsidiaries--Rockstar Games, Gathering, or Global Star--would manage the studio.