Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, reportedly told staff at a town hall meeting that the company needs “smaller games that give us prestige and awards,” one day after Microsoft announced it had shuttered a number of studios including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks.
Hi-Fi Rush is of course a prime example of a smaller-scale title that received critical acclaim following its release last year, with Tango Gameworks being a Japanese developer. Microsoft has never revealed how well the game sold, but in response to suggestions it hadn’t done too well, Xbox marketing boss Aaron Greenberg revealed on Twitter that Hi-Fi Rush “was a break out hit for us and our players in all key measurements and expectations.”
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Tango Gameworks was founded by Shin Mikami in 2010 and is best known for its work on horror titles The Evil Within, The Evil Within 2, and Ghostwire Tokyo.
Microsoft’s announcement was met with a tidal wave of criticism online, not just from gamers, but also some developers. Dinga Bakaba of Arkane Lyon took to Twitter to air his thoughts on the news, and one Fallout 76 player even nuked Phil Spencer’s camp.
[Source – The Verge]