Compulsion Games Now Listed as South of Midnight Publisher on Steam, Signaling Complete Split from Xbox

The separation between Xbox and Compulsion Games appears to be fully realized, as the developer is now listed as the publisher of South of Midnight on Steam, replacing Xbox Game Studios. This change was first spotted by indie developer Michael Klamerus on Bluesky, and we thank IGN Discord member Tommy for bringing it to our attention. South of Midnight, set to release in 2025, has already won awards, and this move suggests the studio is now fully independent.

Interestingly, Xbox Game Studios remains listed as the publisher for Double Fine's Psychonauts 2 on Steam, despite Double Fine also becoming independent following Xbox's recent restructuring. Similarly, Undead Labs' State of Decay 3 and Ninja Theory's Senua still list Xbox Game Studios as publisher, even though both studios have been acquired by other publishers that have yet to be announced.

It's been a tough year for Xbox employees and fans alike, with recent disappointing early sales for Halo: Campaign Evolved. However, there are reasons for optimism in the coming months. Highlights include Gears of War: E-Day launching in October (check out our multiplayer hands-on impressions and the awesome special-edition controllers), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 offering a break from the Black Ops series, the highly anticipated Forza Horizon 6 (which we gave a 10/10) arriving on PlayStation before year's end, and Fable making its long-awaited return in February.