Compulsion Games Officially Independent Again After Completing Split From Xbox

Developer Compulsion Games, known for making South of Midnight, is officially independent once again after completing its split from Xbox. The separation follows a massive wave of restructuring announced by Xbox at the start of July, which included cost-cutting measures and affected multiple developers.

Speaking in an interview with GamesBeat, Compulsion CEO Guillaume Provost outlined that the studio has completed its separation process to become independent again. Provost confirmed that the move means the developer has regained ownership of its intellectual property and that publishing rights are transferring back to the studio. He noted that while the process involves navigating legal hurdles, it is in the process of becoming truly independent once more.

According to Provost, the choice to split and remain together as an independent entity was a company-wide decision made primarily for the team. "I asked the team, 'Do you want to stay together?' The team told me we would rather eat rocks and drink gasoline rather than be split up," Provost stated. It remains unclear how many staff members will stay with Compulsion, as some employees left to find other jobs after the risk of a shutdown became clear. Additionally, the studio does not yet have an outline for its next project, with Provost explaining that the management team is taking things slow to see what everyone wants to build.