Tango Gameworks pitched a sequel to Hi-Fi Rush before it closed, but Xbox felt the studios were ‘spread too thin’
Tango Gameworks reportedly threw one HiFi rush sequel before it closed.
Earlier this week (May 7), it was revealed that Microsoft would be closing four Bethesda Softworks studios, including Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin, the team behind Redfall, DishonoredAnd Prey.
Matty Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, reportedly told staff in an email that the decision was “based on prioritizing high-impact titles and further investing in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games and beloved worlds “. He added that the move is part of “reprioritization of titles and resources”, which will “realign some teams with others”.
Now in a new report from BloombergAccording to sources who did not want to be identified, Tango Gameworks was pitching a sequel. However, during a town hall meeting with ZeniMax staff on May 8, it was claimed that Booty felt Microsoft’s studio system was “spread too thin” and compared it to “peanut butter on bread”.
With leaders across the division feeling understaffed, Booty said they decided to close Tango and Arkane Austin’s to “free up resources elsewhere.”
Booty later added that Arkane Austin’s closure was not related to the performance of its latest multiplayer game, Redfall, which underperformed after its launch last year. It is also claimed that the studio’s closure comes just before the expected release date of a new major update for the game.
Tango Gameworks wasn’t the only one who wanted to make a new game. Arkane Austin reportedly wanted to return to his roots with a new single-player ‘immersive sim’, as a new entry in the Dishonored series. Both projects were reportedly still in the pitching stages and it would be years before the studio closed.
Following the news of the studios’ closure, a new report from The Verge revealed that Microsoft is considering raising the price of Xbox Game Pass again, specifically the Ultimate tier. The same report also suggested that there is an internal debate within the company as to whether there is anything new Duty games should come to Xbox Game Pass.