South Of Midnight Studio Continues to Earn GOTY Awards Post-Xbox Split: “Games Are Created by People”

Compulsion Games is one of the five studios that Microsoft recently let go during its latest round of layoffs at Xbox. Shortly after becoming independent, the studio celebrated by winning the prestigious Game of the Year award for its upcoming title, South of Midnight, at this year’s Games for Change Festival in New York.

“South of Midnight is about rising up in challenging times, about growth and resilience. The word change feels particularly relevant for us right now as Compulsion Games embraces its independence,” said producer and studio general manager Geneviève Forget during her acceptance speech. “It’s both scary and exciting. We’ve built something special with this team, and I know that our spirit will continue to thrive and spread throughout the industry.”

South of Midnight has already garnered multiple accolades, including a Peabody Award, and represents the kind of critically acclaimed games that Xbox aimed for its smaller studios to develop for Game Pass. “It’s inspiring to see the team at Compulsion Games recognized with a Peabody Award for South of Midnight,” noted Xbox’s chief content officer Matt Booty just a couple of months ago. “This award highlights the dedication and craftsmanship behind their work, showcasing the power of games as a medium for meaningful storytelling.”

However, instead of capitalizing on this success, Xbox’s recent “reset” has led Microsoft’s gaming division to shift focus away from smaller, more creatively ambitious projects, opting instead to concentrate on major franchises like Halo and Fallout. While Microsoft has allowed studios like Compulsion to retain IPs such as South of Midnight and has promised support for their future games, this transition has also resulted in significant layoffs as the affected studios are compelled to downsize. Compulsion recently posted a call for studio work on LinkedIn.

“It’s a strange time; our industry is expanding, yet we’re still witnessing layoffs. Our hearts go out to all our friends, families, and coworkers who have lost their jobs in recent years,” producer Anamaria Musca expressed during her speech. “But this is starting to feel more like a community than just an industry. It’s crucial to remember that games are created by people, and it’s our friends and family standing together, supporting one another, and contributing to one of the greatest art forms there is.”