Arcane Austin, Tango Gameworks… Microsoft is closing four video game development studios

Game over for Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, respectively responsible for games such as Production Or Hi-Fi Rush. According to Bloomberg, Matt Booty, the head of Microsoft’s video game division, Xbox, informed his employees in an email dated Tuesday, May 7, of the upcoming closure of those two studios, as well as Alpha Dog Studios and Roundhouse Games.

What these four studios have in common is that they belong to the Bethesda-ZeniMax Media team, acquired by Microsoft in 2021. “These changes are justified by prioritizing high-performing games and increasing investment in Bethesda’s portfolio of successful games that you have nurtured over many decades.”– Matt Booty justifies himself in an email seen by Bloomberg.

While Alpha Dog Studios and Roundhouse Games are little known to the general public, the Japanese studio Tango Gameworks was responsible for the series of horror games. Evil inside (2014–2017), directed by Shinji Mikami, formerly creator resident Evil. The studio was able to bounce back after Mr. Mikami’s departure in early 2023 with the rhythm game. Hi-Fi Rush (2023), which received high praise from players and critics.

The fourth studio affected by this announcement, Arkane Austin, was responsible for Production (2017), whose sales were considered disappointing due to rave reviews from critics. Redfallreleased in poor condition in the spring of 2023, on the other hand, was considered a failure, both due to its “lack of courage” what for him “failed storytelling” Or “its technical characteristics are at the limit of passage” (see review World).

Founded in 2006 in Austin, Texas, the studio is comprised of industry veterans who previously worked on the highly influential series. Systemic shock, Thief, God from Or Bioshock. It was the American branch of the French studio Arkane, based in Lyon since 1999 and responsible for the series. DISHONOREDfrom Death loopand is currently working on adapting the comic for a video game. Blade. The French parent company is not in danger of closure.

The Xbox announcement coincides with the closure of Bethesda’s French branch two weeks earlier. This other subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, and therefore Microsoft, was responsible for the marketing and communication of the brand’s games in France, in particular the Arkane and Tango Gameworks games. In January, Microsoft already announced 1,900 layoffs across its video game divisions. The announcement then concerned “excess sectors” under the recently acquired Activision subsidiaries Blizzard and King.