Microsoft founds new Vancouver studio

Microsoft Game Studios has officially announced the creation of a new studio in Vancouver, with the developer rumoured to be working on a new core title for Kinect.

The existence of the studio was revealed with the launch of the developer's website, which describes itself as, "dedicated to making games for 'core' gamers. Our mission is to push the limits of proven and unexplored game development and show the world what's possible on Microsoft's game consoles."

The studio has been functioning since February under the moniker of Zipline, but has now officially rebranded. Microsoft Vancouver is currently hiring for a number of positions, with the website making specific reference to sharing "resources and knowledge" with Kinect Joy Ride developer BigPark Studios - who are also based in Vancouver.

Although no specific mention is made of Kinect on the website, the curriculum vitae of art director Shawn Woods was discovered by a poster on forum NeoGAF to reference a "core AAA shooter experience using Kinect".

The reference has since been removed from Woods' online CV, but it still confirms that he has been at the new studio since February and that he is as an, "original team member in a new studio with a start-up mentality", where he helped to hire a "team of artists to create social microtransaction games", likely to be Ziplines's work on Facebook title Relic rescue.