Xbox Shuts Down Prey and Hi-Fi Rush Developers

Xbox has made the insane decision to shut down numerous studios under Bethesda, including Tango Gameworks of Hi-Fi Rush fame. This is an absolutely heartbreaking move by the company, as they attempt to focus on certain IPs at the cost of other people’s livelihoods.

IGN has confirmed that Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, and Alpha Dog Studios have been closed down by Xbox. Arkane Austin made the maligned Redfall but they also worked on the acclaimed Prey reboot, making this a baffling cut. The folks at Alpha Dog Studios worked on Mighty Doom, which seemed to be a solid mobile game.

Roundhouse Studios will be absorbed by ZeniMax Studios, who currently make content for The Elder Scrolls Online. Arkane Lyon seems to be safe from the cuts, as the company is still working on Marvel’s Blade for Xbox Series systems.

Arkane Austin has since confirmed that this will be the end of development for Redfall on Xbox and PC, which is a huge shame. While the game wasn’t very good, fans were promised more content and now they won’t be getting any of it. It seems that the game will stay online for those who enjoy playing it.

The most baffling move here is closing down Tango Gameworks, who worked on the critically acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush. It was the highest-rated Xbox game in years, winning numerous awards for its originality and unique mechanics. Microsoft even ported the game to PlayStation 5, with recent ratings suggesting that a Switch version is in the works.

Bethesda has yet to comment on the move, though they have told employees that they’re still a vital pillar of the Xbox brand. Whatever the case, this is an incredibly heartless move, showing that good games and good sales won’t get you anywhere.

Fans can still pick up Hi-Fi Rush on Xbox Series and PC, with the game also available on PS5. Unfortunately, layoffs like this are becoming commonplace in the world of AAA gaming but that doesn’t make this news any less distressing.