Microsoft Game Studios

1st Logo (February 22-November 1, 2002)
Logo: On a white background, some black streaks are seen moving around. They form the Microsoft Game Studios logo, 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)
Logo: On a smoky white background, a silver 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 the long trace. Then the black drops form the words "game studios", and silver bubbles blast "Microsoft" in it's then corporate font above, also forming the x-shaped figure below. The logo zooms in a bit, then transforms into bubbles again, and leaves, and then cover the screen.

Variants:
 * On portable games, such as MechAssault for DS, the logo has print view.
 * On Halo 2, the background was gradient, light blue as in the Bungie logo.

Technique: 3D 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)
Logo: On a bright leaf-green, glowing background, we see 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 the big soft explosion. Then the words "game studios" appear below. Another two streaks appear, creating the x-shaped figure. The logo fades.

Variant: On Kinect Adventures, the logo looks like an embroidery on white fabric.

Technique: CGI.

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

Audio Variants:
 * On Halo 3, after the logo completes, the first few notes of the Halo choir begin. This continues into the Bungie logo.
 * On Kinect Adventures, it's silent.

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