Head of Xbox Game Studios Alan Hartman announcedwhich will leave his position at the end of November 2024. He will be replaced by Rare studio head Craig Duncan. Hartman is known for his contributions to the Forza series, having led Turn 10 Studios since 2005, and under his leadership the franchise has become one of the most successful in the racing genre. Last year, he took charge of Xbox Game Studios, overseeing the development of popular Microsoft franchises such as Age of Empires and Fable.
Craig Duncan, who will take his place, led Rare for almost 14 years. Under his leadership, the popular multiplayer pirate action game Sea of Thieves was created, which has attracted more than 40 million players since its launch in 2018. Prior to Rare, Duncan worked at companies such as Sumo Digital, Midway and Codemasters, where he also held leadership positions.
At the same time, changes will also occur within Rare itself. Duncan’s place will be taken by Joe Neath and Jim Hort. Neate, who ed the studio in 2013, was an executive producer on Sea of Thieves and previously worked at Sumo Digital and Midway. Jim Hort has worked at Rare for over 20 years and held various positions, most recently as studio director.
