Undead Labs to remain "autonomous" since joining Xbox

At E3 2018, Microsoft shocked the audience by announcing it had acquired Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, Playground Games, and State of Decay 2 developer Undead Labs. The company wants to bolster its first-party lineup which pales in comparison to Sony's exclusives like God of War and Spider-Man.

According to a report by The Seattle Times, Head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty said that Undead Labs will remain "almost completely" autonomous. The acquisition will cut through the red tape because now there won't be a need to negotiate contracts and other details because both aren't separate anymore.

Discussing the acquisition, Undead Labs boss Jeff Strain said, "Very little will change in terms of the day to day. I think Microsoft understands, wisely, that creative endeavor is largely a function of culture and passion."

Head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty added, "It really makes a statement that gaming is important and that we had bigger ambitions in gaming. It wasn't just 'Hey, you've made it, now you've got a seat at the table.' It was, 'Hey, you've got a seat at the table, but like the bigger pillars at Microsoft, we expect things to grow.'"

State of Decay 2 is a co-op multiplayer game which forces you to survive in the wake of a zombie apocalypse. Players have to work together, build bases, and form communities if they wish to survive in this hostile land. You can purchase the game for $29.99, or play it for free if you're a $9.99 Xbox Game Pass subscriber.

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