So sad we'll probably never get more on this because Microsoft closed the studio for no reason.
Hylarn
Jun 8, 2024 4:03AM
The studio wasn't actually making money...
FluffyCow
Jun 8, 2024 4:54AM
^I still think they should have been allowed to make the sequel for Hi-Fi Rush since the first one sold very well from what I've heard. Unfortunate that the rest of their games had more of a cult following and weren't really money makers though.
Also I don't think Microsoft is good at handling game studios in general, and they have a pretty long history of that from what I remember, so I'd say it's a layered situation, and regardless it still sucks that the studio closed
Hylarn
Jun 8, 2024 5:13AM
No, that's backwards. Hi-Fi Rush has a strong following but sold like shit
And Microsoft's handling of game studios... They mostly just let the studios they acquired do whatever? Which is what a lot of people would tell you how publishers should act (they are wrong). Like, you may have heard that they ruined Rare by forcing them to change their games, but the opposite is true; Rare needed the outside guidance that Nintendo provided to function effectively
Swag Wagon
Jun 8, 2024 6:02AM
^^ They didn't make any money because they shadow dropped the game on to a service that was guaranteed to sabotage itself.
And by the time the game released on to other platforms, several months later, it was still a linear single player game with no cross save or progress importing and was still available to play at a cheaper price.
Though, to play devils advocate against myself, Tango closing down probably had more to do with Ghostwire bombing spectacularly as it was the game they were developing alongside HiFi, which was exponentially more costly produce, and probably had the much bigger impact on the lack of turnover on their investment.
FluffyCow
Jun 8, 2024 11:30AM
Weird, I remember months back seeing posts about how Hi-Fi Rush actually did well. Maybe they were wrong then. Still I think there should have been some way to save Tango, and land us the Hi-Fi Rush sequel, but alas. I do think we agree Hylarn, on that Microsoft needs supply better direction for their studios, and guide them. I believe Microsoft doesn't really know how to do that, or effectively run game studios.
Edit: Looking into it more from what I'm seeing of other discussions on the topic, I'm seeing people say Microsoft claimed the game was a success. Also people talking about the content of Swag Wagon's link, how if Microsoft wanted to make more money with it they wouldn't have put it on GamePass. A lot of people discussing how Microsoft's handling of GamePass isn't great.
The situation is a confusing and messy headache overall.
last edited at Jun 8, 2024 11:56AM
Moedred
Jun 8, 2024 12:46PM
Worth to remember that bigger companies are buying smaller ones for their technology or to get talented devs for their other, "more important" studios, not for the studio and their portfolio alone. Like with Ninja Theory. MC bought it for their face mocap tech.
zeton Jun 8, 2024 3:08AM
So sad we'll probably never get more on this because Microsoft closed the studio for no reason.
Hylarn Jun 8, 2024 4:03AM
The studio wasn't actually making money...
FluffyCow Jun 8, 2024 4:54AM
^I still think they should have been allowed to make the sequel for Hi-Fi Rush since the first one sold very well from what I've heard. Unfortunate that the rest of their games had more of a cult following and weren't really money makers though.
Also I don't think Microsoft is good at handling game studios in general, and they have a pretty long history of that from what I remember, so I'd say it's a layered situation, and regardless it still sucks that the studio closed
Hylarn Jun 8, 2024 5:13AM
No, that's backwards. Hi-Fi Rush has a strong following but sold like shit
And Microsoft's handling of game studios... They mostly just let the studios they acquired do whatever? Which is what a lot of people would tell you how publishers should act (they are wrong). Like, you may have heard that they ruined Rare by forcing them to change their games, but the opposite is true; Rare needed the outside guidance that Nintendo provided to function effectively
Swag Wagon Jun 8, 2024 6:02AM
^^ They didn't make any money because they shadow dropped the game on to a service that was guaranteed to sabotage itself.
And by the time the game released on to other platforms, several months later, it was still a linear single player game with no cross save or progress importing and was still available to play at a cheaper price.
Though, to play devils advocate against myself, Tango closing down probably had more to do with Ghostwire bombing spectacularly as it was the game they were developing alongside HiFi, which was exponentially more costly produce, and probably had the much bigger impact on the lack of turnover on their investment.
FluffyCow Jun 8, 2024 11:30AM
Weird, I remember months back seeing posts about how Hi-Fi Rush actually did well. Maybe they were wrong then. Still I think there should have been some way to save Tango, and land us the Hi-Fi Rush sequel, but alas. I do think we agree Hylarn, on that Microsoft needs supply better direction for their studios, and guide them. I believe Microsoft doesn't really know how to do that, or effectively run game studios.
Edit: Looking into it more from what I'm seeing of other discussions on the topic, I'm seeing people say Microsoft claimed the game was a success. Also people talking about the content of Swag Wagon's link, how if Microsoft wanted to make more money with it they wouldn't have put it on GamePass. A lot of people discussing how Microsoft's handling of GamePass isn't great.
Also you had the whole weird situation with Matt Booty afterwards, https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/8/24152137/xbox-hi-fi-rush-tango-gameworks-matt-booty
The situation is a confusing and messy headache overall.
last edited at Jun 8, 2024 11:56AM
Moedred Jun 8, 2024 12:46PM
Worth to remember that bigger companies are buying smaller ones for their technology or to get talented devs for their other, "more important" studios, not for the studio and their portfolio alone. Like with Ninja Theory. MC bought it for their face mocap tech.
juanelric Jun 8, 2024 1:27PM
Can I already say "fuck companies" on this site?