In an effort to reallocate resources and priorities, Xbox Game Studios is closing several of its game studios, including Arkane Austin, the Redfall developer, Tango Gameworks, the Hi-Fi Rush developer and Alpha Dog Studios among others. Staff in affected studios will be relocated or, in some cases, the studios will be completely shut down. The current development on games such as Redfall will cease although servers will remain active for existing players; its development team will join other studios under Bethesda.
Tango Gameworks, developer of Hi-Fi Rush, will also be closing down, but without the transfer of its team to other Bethesda studios. The game Hi-Fi Rush, however, will remain available to players on its current platforms. Additionally, Alpha Dog Studios, the team behind the mobile game Mighty Doom, faces closure, with its game slated for sunset on August 7. Furthermore, the team from Roundhouse Games will be incorporated into ZeniMax Online Studios to bolster development on The Elder Scrolls Online.
Head of Xbox Game Studios, Matt Booty, acknowledges that these changes will cause disruptions but emphasizes that these changes are not indicative of the creativity or skill of the affected teams. He asserts that the decision is made to focus on priority games and increase investments in other parts of their portfolio. Despite the closures, Booty asserts Bethesda still remains one of Xbox’s key pillars, promising an impressive line-up of games for 2024, and ensuring that the remaining teams across various studios are well-positioned for success in exploring new game concepts and expanding existing franchises.
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