diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/load/load_xgen.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/load/load_xgen.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3b7451f95c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/load/load_xgen.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+import os
+import shutil
+
+import maya.cmds as cmds
+import pymel.core as pm
+
+import openpype.hosts.maya.api.plugin
+from openpype.hosts.maya.api.lib import maintained_selection
+from openpype.hosts.maya.api import current_file
+
+
+class XgenLoader(openpype.hosts.maya.api.plugin.ReferenceLoader):
+    """Load Xgen as reference"""
+
+    families = ["xgen"]
+    representations = ["ma", "mb"]
+
+    label = "Reference Xgen"
+    icon = "code-fork"
+    color = "orange"
+
+    def process_reference(self, context, name, namespace, options):
+        maya_filepath = self.prepare_root_value(
+            self.fname, context["project"]["name"]
+        )
+        project_path = os.path.dirname(current_file())
+
+        # Setup xgen palette file.
+        # Copy the xgen palette file from published version.
+        _, maya_extension = os.path.splitext(maya_filepath)
+        source = maya_filepath.replace(maya_extension, ".xgen")
+        destination = os.path.join(
+            project_path,
+            "{basename}__{namespace}__{name}.xgen".format(
+                basename=os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(current_file()))[0],
+                namespace=namespace,
+                name=context["representation"]["data"]["xgenName"]
+            )
+        )
+        shutil.copy(source, destination)
+
+        # Modify xgDataPath and xgProjectPath to have current workspace first
+        # and published version directory second. This ensure that any newly
+        # created xgen files are created in the current workspace.
+        resources_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(source), "resources")
+        lines = []
+        with open(destination, "r") as f:
+            for line in [line.rstrip() for line in f]:
+                if line.startswith("\txgDataPath"):
+                    data_path = line.split("\t")[-1]
+                    line = "\txgDataPath\t\t{}{}{}".format(
+                        data_path,
+                        os.pathsep,
+                        data_path.replace(
+                            "${PROJECT}xgen", resources_path.replace("\\", "/")
+                        )
+                    )
+
+                if line.startswith("\txgProjectPath"):
+                    line = "\txgProjectPath\t\t{}/".format(
+                        project_path.replace("\\", "/")
+                    )
+
+                lines.append(line)
+
+        with open(destination, "w") as f:
+            f.write("\n".join(lines))
+
+        # Reference xgen. Xgen does not like being referenced in under a group.
+        new_nodes = []
+
+        with maintained_selection():
+            nodes = cmds.file(
+                maya_filepath,
+                namespace=namespace,
+                sharedReferenceFile=False,
+                reference=True,
+                returnNewNodes=True
+            )
+
+            shapes = cmds.ls(nodes, shapes=True, long=True)
+
+            new_nodes = (list(set(nodes) - set(shapes)))
+
+            self[:] = new_nodes
+
+        return new_nodes
+
+    def update(self, container, representation):
+        pass