Microsoft has made a lot of noise in recent years about shoring up its first-party offerings for gamers. Many of its promises have remained unfulfilled, unfortunately, but the company's not giving up on its vision, and is doubling down with the addition of five big studios to its family.

The company's head of gaming, Phil Spencer, confirmed at the Xbox E3 briefing earlier rumors that the company was acquiring Forza Horizon makers Playground Games. What took us by surprise was the acquisition of three other renowned studios: Undead Labs, makers of State of Decay; Ninja Theory, the folks behind Senua's Sacrifice; and Compulsion Games, the developers of We Happy Few.

The company also announced it was creating a new studio in Santa Monica, California under the banner of The Initiative, led by former Tomb Raider boss Darrell Gallagher. No games currently being worked on by the studio were announced, but it is said to focus on 'storytelling, world-building and creative exploration'.

Hopefully, all these acquisitions will allow Microsoft to live down the embarrassment caused by the cancellations of Scalebound, Fable Legends and other promised first-party titles from past years.

Source: Microsoft (1), (2), (3), (4)