Microsoft’s Black Tusk Studios are now going to be known as The Coalition, the developer announced today. The new name apparently reflects better what the studio and its philosophy and team dynamic is like, according to studio head Rod Fergusson.
“Beginning today, the Vancouver-based Xbox team working on the Gears of War franchise will be known as The Coalition,” Fergusson said. “What’s in a name? In short, The Coalition speaks to who we are as a team, and what it is we’re working on.
“A coalition is a team of diverse individuals working together for a common purpose, a concept that we feel describes our studio quite well,” he said, before also noting that The Coalition was an entity in the Gears of War games.
“When people hear 343 Industries, they associate it with Halo; when they hear Turn 10 Studios, they know that’s who makes Forza. Moving forward, when you hear The Coalition, we want you to think of Gears of War,” Fergusson said, and also added that Gears of War fans should expect some news this E3.
“Speaking of Gears of War, we’re getting close to E3, where we will share more on what’s next for Gears of War. Specifically, Gears fans should be sure to tune in to Xbox Daily: LIVE @ E3, on Monday June 15 at 4PM Pacific to see what we’re working on.”
Personally, no big deal for me if the studio changes its name, although I have to say, it does sadden me a little bit that each studio a Microsoft is now working on one franchise, and one franchise only. On the one hand, I guess that means they will have a complete handle on what they do; on the other, it might get creatively stifling for them.
We’ll let those guys worry about that stuff, though. For now, I want to see what’s in store for the Gears franchise.
