Microsoft Closes Redfall Developer Arkane Austin, HiFi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, and More in Devastating Cuts at Bethesda

adamsapple said:
Austin = Prey, Redfall
Lyon = Dishonored, Deathloop, Blade
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Was the Austin studio involved in Arx Fatalis? I enjoyed that on PC years ago. But I think it had a memory leak or something. I remember it becoming unplayable part way through the game. Really enjoyed it for as long as I could play it.
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Mr Moose said:
His job is a professional liar, got it. Must've came from the same school as Spencer.
I didn't buy Hi-Fi Rush myself, I'm not into rhythm games, but I really enjoyed Ghostwire and Evil Within was decent from what I've played of it. Was hoping to get some more Ghostwire.
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I mean if you want to be a child about it, sure go ahead. Look up what marketing is. That's literally his job. Talk about positive aspects of your product that will help it sell copies or subs.
 
LordCBH said:
Like right before their big Xbox showcase too. How they gonna convince the world they know what they're doing when they close a well-liked studio that released a critically loved game right before hand?
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They're well past convincing anyone with a brain they know what they're doing.

Dead fucking console. Incompetent leadership. Stalled subscription service. Billions spent. Still languishing in last place.
 
Punished Miku said:
I mean if you want to be a child about it, sure go ahead. Look up what marketing is. That's literally his job. Talk about positive aspects of your product that will help it sell copies or subs.
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www.neogaf.com

Hi-Fi Rush Was a "Break Out Hit" For Xbox, Says Aaron Greenberg

Vice President of Xbox Games Marketing, Aaron Greenberg has issued a small statement on Twitter following previous claims that Hi-Fi Rush “didn’t make the money it needed to make”. In the latest episode of the Game Mess Decides podcast, Industry Insider Jeff Grubb said that Hi-Fi Rush “didn’t...
www.neogaf.com www.neogaf.com
 
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FunkMiller said:
They're well past convincing anyone with a brain they know what they're doing.

Dead fucking console. Incompetent leadership. Stalled subscription service. Billions spent. Still languishing in last place.
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I've known for 15 years the Xbox I loved was dead, but still sucks to see. I like playing my BC games on my series X, but I have a feeling that thing will be a very expensive brick when they eventually drop server support for it.
 
AV said:
... Were you not awake when Forza Motorsport released? It had a completely middling response and debuted at #17 in the NPDs below The Crew: Motorfest before falling off.

Most people played it on Game Pass, didn't enjoy it, and moved on. They're very much going to be in the crosshairs.
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I would be surprised, assuming they still want to sell hardware. A game like this is needed to flush out the portfolio of games.
Plus if they keep on with releasing older games on other platforms, it's also a game they can double dip with in a year or 2 on other platforms, racers generally have broad appeal.
 
Zadom said:
Was the Austin studio involved in Arx Fatalis? I enjoyed that on PC years ago. But I think it had a memory leak or something. I remember it becoming unplayable part way through the game. Really enjoyed it for as long as I could play it.
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The Austin division didn't even exist back then.

That game is pretty good btw. There's a community made patch for the PC version called Arx Liberatis or something like that, look it up if you ever feel like revisiting the game.
 
Punished Miku said:
Super stupid. Guy was ready to hit new heights.
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You guys are acting like they are all dead. If they are as skilled as you all say, they will find new jobs creating games you will love somewhere else. What better to have on a resume than a recent award winning game?
 
LordCBH said:
I've known for 15 years the Xbox I loved was dead, but still sucks to see. I like playing my BC games on my series X, but I have a feeling that thing will be a very expensive brick when they eventually drop server support for it.
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You can still get a decent amount for it on eBay. I did. That might not last long though...
 
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THE DUCK said:
That's a whole bunch of bs. Ms closes one studio that released a turd and one small studio and now your saying some of thier largest and most talented groups will be axed? Please.

Gamepass has nothing to do with any of this, there is constant pressure on all devs to deliver games that people play, regardless of how they pay for them.

Releasing sub standard games will result in less sales, just like releasing sub standard games on gamepass yields you less subs.
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He has a point. MS closing down these studios is indicative that they aren't willing to foster creativity and eat a loss to enable that. Gamepass has a role to play because it will provide them significant data as to how those investments are performing in the market. Releasing a bad game isn't always reflective of a studios talent, and what you're essentially advocating for is the closure of studios whenever a title doesn't perform well. This isn't the sort of environment you want to be in as a game developer. Game pass is already a handicap to these devs, and a publisher as large and wealthy as MS should be doing more to provide a better safety net when it doesn't pan out well. Besides, I thought MS said Hi-Fi Rush did good? MS are twats, relax. :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
FunkMiller said:
Get fucked Phil, you absolute waste of space.

Microsoft's proifts are gargantuan. What kind of fucking asshole shutters so many game devs, when there's so much money sloshing about in the company?
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All so some stock holders can get an extra cent or two a share. The quest for profits often outstrips any actual sensibility.
 
Topher said:
Suddenly.....Hi Fi Rush is getting downplayed by Xbox fans. I don't get it. Microsoft knew damn well what Tango was working on. If Microsoft wanted a "big title" then they should have told Tango to scrap Hi Fi Rush and make a big title.
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Don't waste your time:

Negotiator101 said:
I don't think you quite understand what he means, yes they own them but that's completely different from giving them money to fund more projects. For instance they could have them supporting another team but instead they've been given the money to create more games off the critical success of HIFI Rush.
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Negotiator101 said:
"They couldn't afford to fail this year but they did"

Stopped reading right there 🤣 Microsoft can afford it, don't worry about that 😁
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Topher said:
Suddenly.....Hi Fi Rush is getting downplayed by Xbox fans. I don't get it. Microsoft knew damn well what Tango was working on. If Microsoft wanted a "big title" then they should have told Tango to scrap Hi Fi Rush and make a big title.
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Topher obviously we aren't privy to what's happening behind the scenes. It's obviously not a studio that had anything of note in development and that's the problem isn't it?

Take for instance Ninja theory, even though they've produced nothing of note since HB they've got interesting and compelling games in development. HB2 is creating a lot of buzz and excitement for Xbox and its looking to be a great game.

The Coalition again has produced nothing since Gears 5 DLC but the prospect of a graphically impressive Gears 6 is a big draw for Xbox.
 
Labadal said:
I fear that if Obsidian and inXile next releases are duds, they are next on the chopping block.
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Every major 1st party release coming up will undoubtedly not be a huge sales success cause people will just sub to GP for $1/month, play it, beat it, then move on. Microsoft will then go "oh no game didn't make billions of dollars, shut it down!".
 
near said:
He has a point. MS closing down these studios is indicative that they aren't willing to foster creativity and eat a loss to enable that. Gamepass has a role to play because it will provide them significant data as to how those investments are performing in the market. Releasing a bad game isn't always reflective of a studios talent, and what you're essentially advocating for is the closure of studios whenever a title doesn't perform well. This isn't the sort of environment you want to be in as a game developer. Game pass is already a handicap to these devs, and a publisher as large and wealthy as MS should be doing more to provide a better safety net when it doesn't pan out well. Besides, I thought MS said Hi-Fi Rush did good? MS are twats, relax. :messenger_tears_of_joy:
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Ms has never been about innovation of gaming, so this is no huge surprise.

But if anything, gamepass has been helpfull to smaller more creative game companies, and many have said so.
 
Man, Tango no. Wtf Microsoft, Tango is one of the best studios on Bethesda, Evil Within and Hifi Rush are among the best games in Bethesda portfolio.
 
Wasent MS aquiring all these studios supossed to "save them"? Now you know dumb asses. Stop cheering for consolidation especially when its mega corps doing it.
Feels bad for Tango, hopefully they find a place in the idustry fast, maybe even rename the studio and keep the same staff like Kojima did.
 
THE DUCK said:
What exactly makes you think that's the case?
Lack of console sales may put a ceiling on it, but the same thing happens for traditional sales. It's the same.
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Pretty sure we got word a few months ago that the subscriber count hasn't moved in like two years. It's completely stagnating. New games aren't increasing the annual revenue from GP, or at least not nearly as much as had been predicted internally.

When GP doesn't exist, individual titles live and die on their own sales. But nobody's buying these games outright when they can play them for $15 (or much less) and move on. I absolutely loved Hi-Fi Rush but I didn't pay $30 for the thing because why would I?

THE DUCK said:
You guys are acting like they are all dead. If they are as skilled as you all say, they will find new jobs creating games you will love somewhere else. What better to have on a resume than a recent award winning game?
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... Where exactly are they all getting jobs when studios are closing en masse?
 
Ass of Can Whooping said:
You've already licked all the polish of the boots
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This weaksauce on your part is a sad refection of your inability to form a thought that actually pertains to what was said. Try harder. Or act a little more like an adult.......oh what am I saying, it's acw, waste of typing.
 
Good luck to those fired. MS doesn't have any good rep going into the next gen and can expect nothing good in return from gamers.
 
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Buggy Loop said:
Imagine having The Evil Within 2 & Hi-Fi rush under your belt. Who would even think of losing their job when you made those games? Fucked up
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And it was just the whole team. They were in the sweet spot. They had an all Japanese team, but a western director which is already an interesting combo. The team was a lot of ex-Capcom, so they could whip out a DMC competitor on their 1st try. They can make a FPS game. Or a 3rd person game. They were getting better each release. The director is awesome, but it's the whole combination that was great. It was actually my most anticipated studio in Japan (besides Nintendo) because they shifted genres so much and the sky was the limit. Really stupid decision.
 
Negotiator101 said:
Topher obviously we aren't privy to what's happening behind the scenes. It's obviously not a studio that had anything of note in development and that's the problem isn't it?

Take for instance Ninja theory, even though they've produced nothing of note since HB they've got interesting and compelling games in development. HB2 is creating a lot of buzz and excitement for Xbox and its looking to be a great game.

The Coalition again has produced nothing since Gears 5 DLC but the prospect of a graphically impressive Gears 6 is a big draw for Xbox.
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No idea what the problem was. Tango delivered the game they were supposed to deliver. We will never know what they had planned next. E

Hellblade wasn't a blockbuster and I doubt seriously HB2 will be either. Considering Antoniades is leaving the studio, I would not be surprised to see Microsoft close Ninja Theory in the next year either. They are not known for their "blockbusters".

Gears is exactly the kind of game MS wants so no doubt The Coalition is safe.
 
xHunter said:
Never believe anything these guys say in public:


From this to studio closure in one year.
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"HiFi Rush was such a great hit for us that we want everyone involved in the development of the game to experience it as gamers, not as developers, thats why we are promoting every one to costumer at tango games."
 
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Buggy Loop said:
Obsidian / InXile / Double Fine with small cRPG/adventure projects that typically aren't blockbusters,

This morning they must be sweating

sweating key and peele GIF


I swear to god if they close Obsidian and InXile for doing what a cRPG studio is expected to do....
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Obsidian might survive if they turn them into a fallout machine
 
I can't believe there are STILL people willing to go down defending the MS hill. It's absolutely mind-boggling. The power of branding. I guess to many people Xbox is a powerful childhood brand like Nintendo is for others due mostly to the 360 days. But just thinking about having that strong of all nostalgic bias/pull for Microsoft, like I would for say Mario Bros 1, is depressing.
 
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