Microsoft Game Studios

Background
In 2001, Microsoft Games was renamed Microsoft Game Studios. It was renamed again in 2011, this time to Microsoft Studios.

1st Logo (placeholder logo) (February 22-November 1, 2002)
Visuals: On a white background, some black streaks are seen moving around. They form the Microsoft Game Studios logo (the then-current Microsoft logo with "game studios" below and a strange X-shaped figure separating the latter two words), and then the streaks dissipate.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Two whooshing sound effects.

Availability: This was a placeholder logo seen on Sneakers and NFL Fever 2003.

2nd Logo (October 9, 2002-December 5, 2008)
Visuals: On a smoky white background, a liquid orb rushes in, and black liquid crust starts to cover it. Suddenly, they transform into a pack of water bubbles and black drops mixed together. They move across the screen, leaving a long trace. Then the black drops form the words "game studios", and bubbles blast "Microsoft" in its then corporate font above, also forming the X-shaped figure from before. The logo zooms in a bit, then transforms into bubbles again and leaves, and then cover the screen.

Variants:


 * The framerate depends on the game. Usually it is animated at 30fps, but it might be lower on some other games.
 * A widescreen version can be seen on RalliSport Challenge 2, when the Xbox is set to widescreen mode.
 * On portable games, such as MechAssault for DS, the logo has print view.
 * On  Xbox Live Arcade , the camera moves to the left and to the right while the water moves.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A mix of various whooshing sounds with aerated water sound.

Availability: It first appeared on Blinx: The Time Sweeper, and can be seen on Rise of Nations, Zoo Tycoon: Complete Collection, Zoo Tycoon 2, Dungeon Siege 2, and other games for PC. It can also be seen on games for Xbox like Halo 2 and Project Gotham Racing 2.

3rd Logo (November 16, 2005-June 22, 2011)
Visuals: Over a bright leaf-green, glowing background is many vague white particles. The camera zooms in to the 1987-2012 "Microsoft" logo being formed from these particles. A light streak appears and bumps into the half-completed word, making a big soft explosion. Then the words "game studios" appear below. Another two streaks appear, creating the X-shaped figure, now in. The logo fades to white.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A few blob-like sounds ending with a whoosh.

Audio Variant: On Halo 3, after the logo completes, the first few notes of the Halo choir begin. This continues into the Bungie logo.

Availability:
 * Appears on Project Gotham Racing 3 and 4, the Viva Piñata series, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Halo 3, and Kinect Adventures (the latter uses a variant), all for Xbox 360.
 * Can be also seen on several PC games like Gears of War or Age of Empires III: Asian Dynasties.