Microsoft hiring big names for new game studio

Word is spreading that Microsoft is on a hiring spree for The Initiative, a brand new and independently operated creative studio that aims to create the next big thing. Announced at the E3, The Initiative will join Microsoft Studios to create first-party games for the Xbox. The studio is headed by Darrell Gallagher, who worked on Tomb Raider, Deus Ex & Hitman at Square Enix and was the SVP, Head of Development and oversaw COD, Destiny 2 and Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy at Activision.

Remote Play has an overview of recent hires of big names in the video game industry:

Brian Westergaard – Lead Producer/Senior Producer on Rise of the Tomb Raider and Senior Managing Producer on God of War.

Annie Lohr is a recruiter who has worked at Respawn, Riot Games and Microsoft Studios, recently at Snap Inc.

Christian Cantamessa – Leader Writer and Designer on Red Dead Redemption, Shadow of Mador.

Blake Fischer – Senior Director of Portfolio Planning for MS. According to Resetera Blake Fischer involved with getting a number of games to Xbox and has been credited for his assistance in games such as The Witcher 3, Lost Planet, Dead Rising, Ninja Gaiden , Rise of the Tomb Raider, Blinx, Tao Feng, Fall Out 3, Killer Instinct, Cuphead, Elder Scrolls IV.

Daniel Neuburger worked at Crystal Dynamics as a co-director on the Tomb Raider Reboot and Rise of the Tomb Raider alongside Brian Horton.

Linsey McQueeny lead recruiter from Crystal Dynamics and Microsoft.