The last few years have been some of the best for gaming and some of the worst for the industry. I’m sick of writing and using terms like corporate greed or reprioritisation, but here we are again.
The evolution of just parting ways with employees has led to closing entire studios. Last week, Take-Two killed off two studios, and this week, Microsoft mercilessly killed four, including Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, which it acquired when it bought Bethesda in 2021.
Now, these aren’t small studios; instead, they are highly well-respected, which has started a conversation online about nothing being good enough for publishers in the gaming industry anymore.
Indie developer Maisie Ó Dorchaidhe pretty much summed it up in an X that listed 11 things that will no longer keep you safe in this industry:
things that will no longer keep you safe in this industry:
– a good game
– a profitable game
– a viral game
– a big publisher
– a small publisher
– a big team
– a small team
– a rich parent company
– an "ethical" parent company
– experience
– long hours & sacrifice— Maisie Ó Dorchaidhe (@modorchaidhe) May 7, 2024
And I mean, the X is right. Even if we look at Hi-Fi Rush, it was a game that Microsoft called a breakout hit in all key measurements and expectations just last year. Now, here we are, with Microsoft “prioritising high-impact titles.”
In the wake of Microsoft declaring a certifiable hit as a low-impact title, fans, developers, and other industry members have been brought together in their anger and unease about the future of other Microsoft-owned studios, which include Obsidian, inXile, Double Fine, and Ninja Theory.
Helldivers 2 CEO Johan Pilestedt perfectly summed it up when he said:
I don’t understand the closure of Tango Gameworks. I mean… Why close instead of divest [sell]? Surely the team would easily have been able to find a new home.
Michael Douse from Larian also had this to say:
I cannot imagine hearing you’re being let go because of prioritisation of *another developer* is especially good for morale, especially if you’re in another regional office of a shuttered sister office – imaging reading that and working in Obsidian, or something. Wild.
We took a lot of inspiration from both Evil Within and Evil Within 2 when developing Alan Wake 2. They are both excellent horror games and I'm very sad we will not get to see a continuation of the franchise from @TangoGameworks . We have open positions at @remedygames so please…
— Kyle Rowley (@TimePirateNinja) May 7, 2024
However, there does seem to be at least one bit of good news in all the bad that Microsoft has brought to the industry. Many other game development studios (the ones that Microsoft hasn’t purchased just to murder yet) are stepping up.
Alan Wake 2 director Kyle Rowley said that Remedy took a lot of inspiration from both Evil Within and Evil Within 2 when making Alan Wake 2, and as such, encouraged ex-Tango developers to apply.
BioShock creator Ken Levine said that he’s sad and disappointed by the closure of Arkane Austin and is seeking designers from the studio to work on his new game.
Since Microsoft acquired Activion Blizzard for $68.7 billion last year, it has closed countless studios and laid off 2,000 employees. So, whether I want to say it or not, I need to: corporate greed. Sigh.