Microsoft has closed several Bethesda studios, including those responsible for Redfall and Hi-Fi Rush, as part of an internal reorganization that seeks to prioritize titles and resources.
The Redmond company acquired Bethesda in the purchase agreement of its parent company, ZeniMax Media, in 2020, which then caused it to have 23 creative studios and add franchises such as The Elder Scrolls and Fallout to its catalog.
ZeniMAx Media englobaba los ellos Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog y Roundhouse Studios.
Almost four years later, Microsoft has decided to close several studios linked to Bethesda with the aim of “prioritizing high-impact titles and investing more in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games and beloved worlds,” as the director of Xbox Game has expressed. Studios, Matt Booty, in an email sent internally, verified by IGN.
This reorganization affects Arkane Austin, head of Redfall; Alpha Dog Studios, developers of Doom; Tango Gameworks, studio behind Hi-Fi Rush; and Roundhouse Games.
Hi-Fi Rush will still be available on current platforms, but Mighty Doom will be gone on August 7. Added to this is that Redfall will not receive any more updates at the end of development, although the game will continue to be online.
For its part, the Roundhouse Games team will become part of ZeniMax Online to work on The Elder Scrolls Online, as Booty details in the email.
REACTIONS FROM AFFECTED STUDIES
The affected studios have shared the news on their respective social media accounts, in addition to thanking players for the time they have spent with their games.
Arkane Austin has also confirmed that the Arkane Lyon division continues working on immersive experiences and even has a project underway that will be released soon. He has also indicated that players who purchased the Hero Pass as part of the premium editions of Bite Black will be able to request a refund.
Signup here https://t.co/wb1R4m4emj to receive details on how eligible players can receive this credit. pic.twitter.com/69Os17kpQ8
— Arkane Studios (@ArkaneStudios) May 7, 2024
Tango Gameworks has assured that both Hi-Fi Rush and its previous games will continue to be available to play. While Alpha Dog Studios has announced that due to the closure of the Mighty Doom servers on August 7, they no longer allow players to make purchases.
— Tango Gameworks (EN) (@TangoGameworks) May 7, 2024
Players interested in requesting a refund for purchased in-game currency can sign up here https://t.co/R7rL4LKsjk to receive details. pic.twitter.com/9g3kBoRGVw
— Alpha Dog Games (@AlphaDogGames) May 7, 2024