Before its closure, Arkane had been looking to return to its roots by pitching a new single-player “immersive sim” game, such as a new entry in the Dishonored series, according to the people familiar.
Tango was in the process of pitching a Hi-Fi Rush sequel, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing nonpublic information.
Fuck off Microsoft.
Microsoft has also had internal debates about whether to put new releases of Call of Duty into Game Pass. I understand this is a debate that has been ongoing internally for quite some time, with concerns from some that the revenue that Call of Duty typically generates for Activision Blizzard will be undermined by Game Pass.
I’m told that Microsoft has also considered increasing the price of Game Pass Ultimate again. These are only considerations, so a final decision could mean we still see a future Call of Duty release appear in most versions of Game Pass. The debate internally reflects the fact Microsoft’s Xbox strategy has shifted from just delivering its games exclusively into Game Pass to considering bringing more Xbox games to multiple platforms.
Xbox now has a strong lineup of games planned for 2024, with Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II set to debut in a matter of weeks on May 21st. I understand Hellblade II is another game that Microsoft has been considering for the PS5. If that ever happens, at this point, it’s not clear if even that would be considered a success.
Xbox employees are now bracing for what’s next, as it seems unlikely that we’ve seen the last of Microsoft’s gaming layoffs and cutbacks. There are whispers among employees that core Xbox Game Studios are set for cutbacks next.
Today, one day after Microsoft announced that it would shut down four of its games studios, Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, held a town hall to discuss the division's future goals. "We need smaller games that give us prestige and awards," Booty told employees, according to internal remarks shared with The Verge.
For some listeners on the call, it was a surprising goal: Microsoft had just shut down the Japanese developer Tango Gameworks, which was coming off the small, prestigious hit title Hi-Fi Rush.