Compulsion Games is now fully independent after completing a management buyout from Microsoft, regaining control of its intellectual property and studio staff. CEO Guillaume Provost confirmed the deal to GamesBeat, stating the transfer includes the studio’s original IP and all employees. The move ends Compulsion’s time under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, a period marked by layoffs and industry turmoil.
South of Midnight, the studio’s 2025 release praised for its Southern Gothic themes, will now generate revenue exclusively for Compulsion rather than Microsoft. The buyout also removes the game from potential boycott lists targeting Microsoft-owned titles, though some advocates had already exempted it based on its indie production scale and themes of black liberation.
The buyout signals a critical shift for the studio behind We Happy Few and Contrast, achieved amid broader instability at Xbox. With Microsoft’s recent layoffs and studio closures, Compulsion’s independence underscores the challenges of sustaining creative control under major publishers.
