Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty suggests closing the studio in part due to a change in leadership
Chat on the Strictly Business podcast diverse (via Eurogamer), Xbox CEO Matt Botti, without naming names, hinted that Shinji Mikami's departure from Tango Gameworks was a factor in Microsoft's decision to shutter the studio.
Booty was asked about the developer shutdown and also whether Microsoft has tried to look for another buyer for Tango.
“I'm not going to get into the more important or practical aspects of the decision, out of respect for the people there, just because, you know, there was a lot of work that went into making Hi-Fi Rush a great match and it was good for us.” Ghanima said.
“I think the thing to keep in mind is that for us, it's as much a forward-looking attitude as it is a backward-looking attitude in a given game… There are a lot of things that go into the success of any game. What leadership do you have? What is creative leadership Do you have the same team that launched something successful previously? he added.
“We have to look at all of these things and then ask ourselves: Are we prepared for success in the future? And although there may be factors and situations that previously led to success, they may not all remain in place when you look at what you do in the future.
Booty seems to suggest, at least in part, that the departure of Tango Gameworks founder Shinji Mikami in 2023 contributed to Microsoft shuttering the studio. Mikami opened Tango in 2010, and the studio has developed The Evil Within and Ghostwire: Tokyo. Before that, he worked at Capcom, where he created the Resident Evil franchise.
The executive also noted that shutting down Tango wasn't the only option Microsoft considered, giving examples of the company's previous studios going independent, such as Toys for Bob, which has a distribution agreement with Microsoft for its next game.
“I remember a studio called Twisted Pixel in Texas that we acquired, and then, as a sort of change in goals, it wasn't quite as relevant anymore, but that studio is still thriving today.”“The booty said. “We wanted to set them up for success. So we absolutely looked at potential business options to keep the studio open or maybe change it. Which is just one of the things, of course, that we generally consider.”
In addition to Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin of Dishonored, Prey, and Redfall, Alpha Dog Games of Mighty Doom, and Roundhouse Studios, whose members were transferred to ZeniMax Online Studios to work on The Elder Scrolls Online, have closed.
