Since Tango Gameworks closed, Xbox executives have been trying to justify the decision. While Sarah Bond remains quite vague, a statement from Matt Booty causes astonishment.
Microsoft has several studios closed, including Tango Gameworks, which produced a surprise hit last year. The title now remains on the PS5. The studio only survived the PSN launch by a few weeks.
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Many players are still asking themselves why the plug was pulled from Tango Gameworks. Of course, Arkane Austin was also affected. After “Redfall” debacle the decision is more understandable here. And the latest statements from Xbox management paint a rather confused picture.
According to Sarah Bond, there are many factors
During the Bloomberg Tech Conference, Xbox President Sarah Bond fielded several questions that also relate to the latest decisions. Among them was the question of how the closure of Tango Gameworks could be reconciled with the success of “Hi-Fi Rush”.
Bond then explained that the “creative art form” is one of the essential things she values within the gaming industry. And so the “situation and success of each game in the studio is truly unique”.
This means that there is no one size fits all and each decision stands on its own. “So we look at every studio, every game team and take a whole range of factors into account when we make decisions and compromises like that,” said Bond.
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This is not an explanation for the closure of Tango Gameworks. And the other statements also sound rather evasive: “Everything revolves around our long-term commitment to the games we develop, the devices we build, the services and the fact that we position ourselves in such a way that we are able to to fulfill these promises.”
Possible reasons for Tango Gameworks closure
Bond's statements are being hotly debated on the Internet because there are apparently reasons that could be clearly stated.
Well-connected Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier previously reported that ZeniMax was under pressure to make significant cuts. And they decided on Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin, for which, according to Schreier, there are reasons.
Studios were in the process of proposing projects that would have required higher investments, while other studios were working on projects that had already been greenlit. And here it simply hit the current bottom performers.
Over the course of the week it leaked that Tango Gameworks wanted to work on “Hi-Fi Rush 2”. According to speculation, the project was rejected due to cost reasons. The factors for success would have changed over the course of the year IGN learned from a source.
Microsoft wants games with “prestige and awards”
A statement from Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, is worth mentioning in this context. He reportedly told employees at a town hall meeting that the company “needs smaller games that bring us prestige and awards.” The statement came one day after the closure of Tango Gameworks was announced.
“Hi-Fi Rush” is a prime example of a game of this type. Last year, Xbox marketing chief Aaron Greenberg emphasized Twitter/Xthat “Hi-Fi Rush” was “a breakthrough across all key measurements and expectations” for the company and gamers.
Kazuaki Egashira, former game project manager at Tango Gameworks, also seems confused:
Regarding the closure of the studios, Matt Booty explained that they were spread too thin and executives across the department increasingly felt they were understaffed to do so. The closure was intended to free up resources for other positions.
The departure of Shinji Mikami is sometimes blamed for the closure of Tango Gameworks. This cannot be clearly verified and does not correspond to the founder's previous statements.
According to Mikami, his role or position at Tango Gameworks should not be overestimated. He only managed the studio for six months after it was founded. “I only held the position of CEO for six months,” confirmed Mikami.
Founded in 2010, the studio wanted to provide young game developers with more regular experiences by producing games with shorter development cycles. After his departure he co-founded KAMUY a new company.
It is still questionable what influence the higher echelons of Microsoft now have on the gaming division. According to IGN reports Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft CFO Amy Hood are now making the announcements.
Mobile initiative is being pushed forward
In the meantime, the opening of a mobile store has also been announced. It is scheduled to launch in July, but not as an app.
“This web-based store is the first step in our journey to build a trusted app store rooted in gaming,” an Xbox spokesperson told us Bloomberg. Initially, the focus is on Microsoft games (including King's games). The store will later be opened to third parties.
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