Xbox President Comments on Shutdown of Hi-Fi Rush Dev and Other Studios

Addressing Microsoft’s recent call to close down four of its first-party studios, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, Xbox President Sarah Bond talked about the motive behind it. Other companies that Xbox recently dissolved are Redfall developer Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Games, and Roundhouse Studios.

The decision to shutter these Bethesda studios was 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 an interview 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 of adverse 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 the massive success of Hi-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 a Hi-Fi Rush sequel being pitched before 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

Hi-Fi Rush is a third-person rhythm action game from Tango Gameworks, the same developers that worked on The Evil Within series.

Released

January 25, 2023