Xbox Reportedly "Very Happy" With Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks
Xbox is "reinvesting" in the developer, and thinks it has a bright future.
It's been a fairly rough year for the Xbox brand, with very few major exclusives to lure in new players. Hi-Fi Rush was one of the most-notable exceptions. The game was given a surprise release back in January, dropping during an Xbox Developer Direct. The game drew a lot of critical praise, and the unconventional release seemed to generate a lot of interest, with more than three million players across platforms. On a recent episode of Game Mess Decides, industry analyst Jeff Grubb stated that Microsoft is very happy with developer Tango Gameworks, and wants the studio to have "a bright future."
Video of Grubb's comments was shared by @HazzadorGamin on Twitter and can be found in the Tweet embedded below.
Jeff Grubb on Success of Hi-Fi Rush 3M players #Xbox
— HazzadorGamin,Dragon of Dojima (@HazzadorGamin) August 19, 2023
"Microsoft is very very very happy with that studio, they like that studio a lot and they are reinvesting in it and they and they care a lot about that studio having a bright future" pic.twitter.com/hdVKcOnOOo
In an April episode of Game Mess Decides, Grubb had noted stated that Hi-Fi Rush "didn't make the money it needed to make." In the new video, Grubb does seem to acknowledge those past comments, stating that while it might not have done the numbers Microsoft was hoping to see "they think that that studio is gonna keep doing great things." In a year where Redfall was a very big disappointment for Xbox, it's possible the company sees Hi-Fi Rush as a much-needed piece of good software that will continue to find an audience through Game Pass.
It's been more than two decades since the original Xbox released, and Microsoft continues to struggle in Japan, where Nintendo and PlayStation remain dominant. Tango Gameworks is a Japanese studio that has now released multiple hits, including The Evil Within and The Evil Within 2. It's likely that Microsoft sees the long-terms benefit of investing in Tango Gameworks, and giving the studio a chance to thrive. Whether that's through sequels to Hi-Fi Rush or The Evil Within, or something else entirely, Tango Gameworks clearly gives the Xbox brand something that it needs to compete. That's certainly good news for fans of the developer, and those hoping to see another Hi-Fi Rush!
Did you check out Hi-Fi Rush? Are you happy Microsoft is investing more into Tango Gameworks? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!