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Microsoft exec calls for “smaller”, “prestige” games the day after closing Hi-Fi Rush studio TangoAnd reportedly turning down a sequel
And reportedly turning down a sequel
Ah, itfeels like only yesterdaythat Microsoft shut down Tango Gameworks, creators ofHi-Fi Rush, and now here’s Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, telling Microsoft staff at an internal townhall meeting that “we need smaller games that give us prestige and awards” - a sentence we might plausibly lengthen to “…like Hi-Fi Rush”.
See, these are the kinds of glacial changes of focus and ponderous shifts of strategy you often get at very large videogame publishers such as Microsoft. Trends are cyclical and corporations are sort of just these massive, sleepy hamsters, trundling around the wheel to rediscover practices and projects they once deemed bad for business. Hang on, let me go look up “yesterday” in the dictionary and fetch some sellotape - my brain appears to have exploded.
https://t.co/Cz2fW01QVcpic.twitter.com/ADV4ZTpIuP— johnjohanas (@johnjohanas)May 9, 2024
https://t.co/Cz2fW01QVcpic.twitter.com/ADV4ZTpIuP
In case you somehow missed it, Microsoft sent an internal memo this weekannouncing plansto shutter not just Tango, butRedfalland Prey developer Arkane Austin (be sure to read Nic’s excellent"Post-It note" about the genius of Prey) and Alpha Dog Studios, while folding Roundhouse Games into Elder Scrolls Online developers ZeniMax Online. Booty has elsewhere told employees, againvia the Verge, that “these changes are grounded in prioritizing high-impact titles and further investing in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games”. Microsoft are concentrating on projects that are “best positioned for success.” I’m not sure how much more successful Microsoft need to be, given that they became atrillion dollar company in January.
The Verge claims that Tango were in the process of pitching Hi-Fi Rush 2 before they were canned. The studiodeserved better. Best of luck to all affected.
