LogIn"It's really difficult to gauge what Xbox is trying to do anymore."
Image credit: Tango Gameworks
Recently, Xbox announced the closure of Tango Gameworks, the developer behind Hi-Fi Rush, and Arkane Austin, known for Redfall and Prey. The studios are undergoing restructuring as Microsoft wants "reprioritization of titles and resources".
The news was met with strong backlash online, with developers, reporters, and bloggers criticizing Microsoft. While the closure of Arkane Austin due to Redfall's performance can be understood to some extent, disbanding Tango Gameworks, known for the highly acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush, left many puzzled.
With that in mind, discussions arose about Xbox's long-standing efforts to establish a presence in the Japanese market, only to close its sole studio in the country.
"The more I think about it, the more baffled I am. MS – FINALLY – had a great Japanese development studio after failing miserably over there for decades. They HAD IT. They produced an award-winning, amazing game – now they're being closed down," John Linneman from Digital Foundry wrote on Twitter.
"Hi-Fi Rush is simply...the best Xbox exclusive this generation? I get the CEO left a bit ago, but come on. That's insane," Paul Tassi from Forbes stated.
Following the shutdown of Tango Gameworks, there is a perception online that no Xbox studio is immune from closure. Despite company statements expressing satisfaction with Hi-Fi Rush's performance, the development team was still affected.
Given Microsoft's limited sharing of post-release game data, it remains uncertain which releases the company deems successful.
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