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Microsoft buys indie developer Twisted Pixel
After developing games exclusively for Xbox 360 and PC, it's fair to say that indie dev Twisted Pixel has been going steady with Microsoft. Today, the two have finally tied the knot as the Redmond corporation announced that it has purchased the Austin studio. That may be terrifying news for fans of the dev, which has built games like 'Splosion Man and The Gunstringer around its scrappy DIY aesthetic. But Matt Booty, general manager of Microsoft Studios, told Joystiq it's exactly that character that the company hopes to preserve after the sale.
The three terrifying minutes that created The Gunstringer
"I'm going to go to the restroom," said Microsoft's Cherie Lutz, "but when I get back I really want to hear this new idea." "Oh yeah, it's awesome, can't wait." Twisted Pixel chief creative officer Josh Bear had responded with abounding confidence, if only to mask the truth. Because the fact of the matter, the fact that he and CEO Mike Wilford were all too aware of, as they sat in Redmond, WA Tex-Mex restaurant The Matador, was this: The idea wasn't "awesome." It was nonexistent. The developer had scored a major meeting with Microsoft to pitch a new game developed exclusively with Kinect (then "Project Natal") in mind. It needed to be big, it needed to be smart and -- most pressingly to Wilford and Bear at that exact moment -- it needed to exist.
Comic Jumper preview: Mashed-up mayhem
Twisted Pixel has risen to XBLA fame with critically acclaimed titles The Maw and 'Splosion Man. When the developers offer to personally stop by your West Los Angeles apartment to show you their latest title, Comic Jumper, you say yes. That's what I did, and in addition to playing through the first level and getting a feel for the mechanics, I played a few later levels and got a good look at all of the collectibles and extras you'll be unlocking throughout the game. Comic Jumper is a longtime passion project for Twisted Pixel -- COO Josh Bear drew the game's main character, Captain Smiley, way back in seventh grade, and it's something the company has always wanted to make. After the success of 'Splosion Man last year, the team decided to have a go at finally turning it into a game. "It's not like we have any idea of how long the company could be around," Bear joked. %Gallery-88440%
