Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, has reportedly said that Microsoft needs smaller games that will bring it “prestige and awards” a day after closing Tango Gameworks.
Following news earlier this week (May 7) that Microsoft would be closing four Bethesda Softworks studios, including Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin, Booty, along with ZeniMax studios head Jill Braff, held a town hall meeting with ZeniMax employees to address the issues of the division to discuss plans for the future.
According to a report from The edgeBooty told staff on May 8, “We need smaller games that bring us prestige and prizes.”
This statement came from internal sources close to the situation who also noted how surprised they were by the target since Microsoft recently shut down Tango Gameworks, the studio behind the critically acclaimed rhythm action game. HiFi rush.
At the same meeting, Booty was reportedly praised HiFi rush but did not clarify Microsoft’s recent decision to close Tango Gameworks.
A similar sentiment was shared last year after the game’s launch, with Aaron Greenberg, vice president of Xbox games marketing, writing X (formerly Twitter) that, “HiFi rush was a breakthrough for us and our players in all key measurements and expectations. We couldn’t be happier with what the team at Tango Gameworks has delivered with this surprise release.”
Elsewhere, it was also reported during the same town hall meeting that Tango Gameworks had pitched a sequel HiFi rush before the shutdown, alongside Arkane Austin, who wanted to return to his roots and was pitching a new single-player game, like a potential new game Dishonored entry.
Booty later said he felt Microsoft’s studio system was “spread too thinly” like “peanut butter on bread” and decided that closing Tango and Arkane Austin would “free up resources elsewhere”.