Tango Gameworks had deliberate a sequel to Hello-Fi Rush earlier than the studio was unexpectedly closed earlier this week. In line with the newest stories, the studio was placing collectively a pitch for Hello-Fi Rush 2 to capitalize on the success of final 12 months’s highly-praised motion sport and was trying to recruit extra employees to assist with its growth.
Hello-Fi Rush was a breakout hit for Microsoft
Hello-Fi Rush was an surprising hit for Microsoft final 12 months. Head of Xbox Recreation Studios Matt Booty had beforehand described the sport as “a breakout hit for us and our gamers in all key measurements and expectations.” In line with sources who spoke to Bloomberg, Booty nonetheless had reward for the sport throughout a city corridor assembly with Zenimax employees this week, making the closure of Tango Gameworks much more stunning to outsiders.
The city corridor did trace in direction of the explanations behind the studio’s closure, though specifics weren’t mentioned. Booty mentioned that assets at Zenimax had been unfold too thinly, like “peanut butter on bread,” and a number of other studios felt understaffed. Head of ZeniMax studios Jill Braff added that “it’s arduous to help 9 studios all internationally with a lean central staff with an ever-growing plate of issues to do” and that “I believe we had been about to topple over.”
Tango Gameworks was within the technique of pitching a sequel to Hello-Fi Rush, whereas fellow shuttered studio Arkane Austin needed to pitch “a brand new single-player immersive sim sport” akin to the Dishonored franchise. As each had been additionally trying to rent new employees, it’s inferred that the studios had been simply on the mistaken stage of growth on the mistaken time when Zenimax wanted to consolidate its assets to help its current tasks.
The horrible irony is that Booty additionally commented how Microsoft “want smaller video games that give us status and awards” throughout the identical assembly in line with The Verge. Hello-Fi Rush 2 was an ideal candidate to suit that standards, however I assume we’ll by no means understand how effectively the sport may even have finished.