img

Craig Duncan will take on the role of head of Xbox Game Studios this November. Currently leading Rare, the studio behind Sea of Thieves, Duncan will step in as Alan Hartman, the current head, retires at the end of the month after a year in the position. Duncan’s nearly 14-year leadership at Rare saw him guide not only the development of the popular pirate-themed live-service game but also various titles for Kinect.

Duncan brings extensive experience from leadership positions at studios such as Sumo Digital, Midway, and Codemasters. In his new role, he’ll oversee the broad range of studios under Microsoft's Xbox umbrella, including the recently renamed Halo Studios, The Coalition, Turn 10, Playground Games, Obsidian, Ninja Theory, Rare, and others. Reporting to Matt Booty, president of Game Content and Studios, Duncan will face significant responsibilities. Following his transition, Joe Neate, executive project lead for Sea of Thieves, and Jim Horth, studio director, will take on leadership at Rare.

Neate, who has been with Rare since 2013, and Horth, a 20-year veteran of the studio, will co-lead the team. Reflecting on Hartman's contributions, Booty highlighted his impactful career, filled with innovation and a commitment to gaming. Hartman began his journey with Microsoft as a contractor in the early CD-ROM development days in 1988, working on key projects like Age of Empires and leading Digital Anvil on Brute Force. He also played a key role in founding Turn 10, which created the global Forza racing franchise.

Hartman’s focus on accessibility set new industry standards, and under his leadership, Xbox Game Studios launched several critically acclaimed titles this year, paving the way for highly anticipated projects like Avowed and Fable. Reflecting on his time at the helm, Hartman called it both rewarding and challenging, expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside talented studio leaders and teams. As Duncan prepares to step in, Booty noted that he will focus on helping studios create high-quality, unique games, aiming to develop successful franchises and invest in new intellectual properties.