Rare Boss Craig Duncan Promoted to Xbox Game Studios Head

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As a lifelong gamer with a deep appreciation for the evolution of the industry, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia mixed with anticipation as I witness the transition at Xbox Game Studios. Alan Hartmann, a pioneer whose contributions span over three decades, is stepping down, making way for the dynamic and experienced Craig Duncan to take the helm.

As an enthusiastic follower, I’m thrilled to share the news that Microsoft has elevated Craig Duncan from his role at Rare Studio to the position of Head of Xbox Game Studios. Meanwhile, Alan Hartmann, a seasoned industry veteran, has decided to hang up his boots and retire.

The change in leadership at Xbox comes less than a year on from Hartmann adopting the role as part of a broader reorganisation of Microsoft’s gaming division, which saw Matt Booty promoted to President of Game Content and Studios. Hartmann will retire at the end of November, after more than 30 years with Microsoft.

Initially, Hartmann worked with Microsoft’s CD-ROM team in 1988, and later shifted his focus to game development, contributing to projects such as Age of Empires. He was also instrumental in the formation of Turn 10, the developers behind Forza Motorsport. Now that Hartmann is stepping down, Joe Neate and Jim Horth will take over leadership roles at Rare, the studio responsible for Sea of Thieves.

According to an internal email reported by The Verge, Booty stated that in his new position, Craig will continue to concentrate on assisting our studios in creating exceptional, unique game experiences. These experiences have the potential to evolve into thriving franchises and reach a larger audience by investing in fresh intellectual properties.

Duncan has accumulated a substantial amount of expertise throughout his career, which includes stints at Codemasters, Midway, and Sumo Digital, prior to joining Xbox in 2011 as the head of Rare.

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2024-10-16 17:12