Summary
Addressing Microsoft’s recent call to close down four of its first-party studios, includingHi-Fi Rushdeveloper Tango Gameworks,XboxPresident Sarah Bond talked about the motive behind it. Other companies thatXboxrecently dissolved areRedfalldeveloper Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Games, and Roundhouse Studios.
The decision toshutter these Bethesda studioswas announced earlier this week and immediately sent the industry, which has already been battling a layoff wave, into panic mode. On top of that, the shocking announcement also drew the ire of fans who enjoyed the previous works of developers who got the ax. What caught most people off guard was the shutdown of Tango Gameworks, which had shipped one of the most successful Xbox first-party games in recent memory,Hi-Fi Rush.
In aninterview with Bloomberg, Xbox President Sarah Bond discussed the factors behind the “extraordinarily difficult” decision to sack Tango Gameworks and other first-party studios. Stressing upon the impact ofadverse industry trends on Xbox, Bond said that the shuttering of the Bethesda aligned studios is an outcome of the company’s mission to take their products “through a time of transition” where the industry isn’t growing. She added that the move was also influenced by the green brand’s aim to ensure that the “business is healthy” in the long run. Moving on, the Xbox head revealed that the company was currently focused on helping those impacted go through “the hard transition.” Regardless of the latest studio shutdowns, Bond reiterated that Xbox was still committed towards working with its own studios in the future.
Xbox President Speaks About the Shutdown of Hi-Fi Rush Studio Tango Gameworks
When asked about the criteria behind closing down Tango Gameworks, despite themassive success ofHi-Fi Rush, Bond didn’t directly reveal the main metrics but instead gave an overview of how Xbox makes these calls. She said that the company looks at “a whole variety of factors” before going ahead with “decisions and trade-offs like that.” Moreover, the Xbox chief added that the company’s “long-term commitment” to setting itself up to deliver on promises is also central to such key decisions.
While Bond’s answer may not satisfy everyone, especially after rumors of aHi-Fi Rushsequel being pitchedbefore the shutdown broke out, it may tell them more about Xbox’s philosophy and approach with first-party developers. Further, it may be safe to say that the console giant prioritizes long-term goals regardless of the implications it may have on popular developers like Tango Gameworks.
Hi-Fi Rush
WHERE TO PLAY
Feel the beat as wannabe rockstar Chai and his ragtag team of allies rebel against an evil robotics enhancement megacorp with raucous rhythm combat! From Tango Gameworks, the studio that brought you The Evil Within® and Ghostwire®: Tokyo (no, really) comes Hi-Fi RUSH, an all-new action game where the characters, world and combat stylishly sync to the music!CHAI VERSUS THE WORLD: Labeled ‘defective’ after a shady corporate experiment mistakenly fuses a music player to his heart, Chai must now fight for his freedom in a slick animated world where everything – platforming puzzles, enemy attacks and even the colorful gags & banter - are synced to the beat.OPEN UP THE MOSH PIT!: Take on armies of corporate drones (read: actual robots) in satisfying, rhythm-amplified combat. Time your moves to pull off flashy Beat Hits, hard-hitting special abilities and even combination attacks with your allies! Want to show off? Go further and tap into the beat to amp up your skills and earn those covetous S-rank scores.ROWDY REBELS VS. BADASS BOSSES: Lead a squad of colorful teammates and take the fight to the heart of an, er, heartless corporation. Square off with each department’s boss, from Production to Marketing to Finance, each more ready to protect the company’s bottom line than the last in over-the-top battle sequences accompanied by their own music tracks!GRAB YOUR HEADPHONES: Tap your toes to a killer mixtape of original music, as well as songs by Nine Inch Nails, The Prodigy, The Joy Formidable and more! Want to show off your skills to a live streaming audience? Fret not: Hi-Fi RUSH includes a streamer-friendly alternate audio mode which replaces those licensed songs with original tracks made especially for streaming Hi-Fi RUSH.
