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Our Studio
Founded in 2009, Compulsion Games started as a handful of dreamers in an old gramophone factory. Now an Xbox Games Studio, we continue to strive to build hallucinatory adventures in worlds strange but provocatively familiar. World-building and rich storylines are our passion, and we are devoted to building experiences that feel handcrafted.
Travel Through Time
2009
Journey begins
Compulsion Games is incorporated in May 2009 as a home office providing services to other game studios. We work on a number of other game projects with THQ and Atari.
2010
Contrast Prototypes
Contrast has a rough prototype of the mechanics, along with some animations, level designs and code, all built by the founder but no team.
2013
Canadian Game Awards
Contrast launches and wins Most Innovative game of the year at the Canadian Game Awards. Compulsion Games now has 7 developers and a leak in the office.
2015
Team Begins To Grow
We announce the title and the beginning of our Kickstarter campaign for We Happy Few at PAX East. People are intrigued. We are now 12 developers. The heating in the office occasionally fails.
2016
Microsoft E3 Showcase
We publicly show the intro to We Happy Few for the first time during the Microsoft E3 showcase. The smashing piñata scene makes a splash. We are 25 developers.
2018
Microsoft Acquires Compulsion
Compulsion Games is officially acquired by Microsoft, now part of Xbox Game Studios. We are 38 developers. We Happy Few is banned in Australia for its portrayal of drug use. The ban is reversed after an appeal and We Happy Few launches globally.