A huge bang shook Xbox Game Studios today. As IGN reports, Matt Booty has informed in an internal email that a number of studios will be closing.
Among the affected studios that are falling victim to a “re-prioritization of titles and resources” are the studio responsible for Redfall, Arkane Austin, and Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks.
Alpha Dog Studios and Roundhouse Games will also be closing, although Roundhouse Games will be merging with Zenimax Online.
“Today I want to share with you the changes we’re making to our Bethesda and ZeniMax teams. These changes come as we continue to focus on impactful titles and continue to invest in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games and beloved worlds that you have nurtured over many decades.”
“To double down on these franchises and invest in building new ones, we need to look at the entire business to identify the opportunities that are best positioned for success. This reprioritization of titles and resources means that some teams will be reallocated to others and that some of our colleagues will leave us.”
“Here are the changes that will take effect:”
“Arkane Austin – This studio will be closing, with some members of the team moving to other studios to work on projects within Bethesda. Arkane Austin has a history of creating impressive and innovative games – a pedigree that everyone should be proud of. Redfall’s final update will be the last as we finish development on the game. The game and its servers will remain online for players and we will make a redress offer to players who purchased the Hero DLC.”
“Alpha Dog Studios – This studio will also be closed. We appreciate the team’s creativity in making Doom accessible to new players. Mighty Doom will be discontinued on August 7th and we will be removing the ability for players to make in-game purchases.”
“Tango Gameworks – Tango Gameworks is also closing. We are grateful for their contributions to Bethesda and gamers around the world. Hi-Fi Rush will continue to be available to players on current platforms.”
“Roundhouse Games – The Roundhouse Games team will be joining ZeniMax Online Studios (ZOS). Roundhouse has played a key role in many of our recent game launches. Bringing her to ZOS to work on The Elder Scrolls Online means we can do even more to grow the world that millions of players call home.”
“As we consolidate our Bethesda studio teams, allowing us to invest more heavily in our games portfolio and new IP, a small number of positions across select Bethesda publishing and corporate teams will also be eliminated.”
“Those whose positions will be affected will be notified today, and we ask that you treat your departing colleagues with respect and compassion. We will provide our full support to those affected by today’s notifications, including severance payments in accordance with local law.”
“These changes do not reflect the creativity and skill of the talented people on these teams or the risks they have taken to try new things. I recognize that these changes are also disruptive to the various support teams at ZeniMax and Bethesda that bring our games to market. We are making these difficult decisions to create capacity for increased investment in other parts of our portfolio and to focus on our priority games.”
“Bethesda remains a core pillar of Xbox with a strong portfolio of great games and thriving communities. As we look to the future, we have an impressive slate of games on the horizon. In 2024 alone we have Starfield Shattered Space, Fallout 76 Skyline Valley, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle and The Elder Scrolls Online’s Golden Road. Our teams at Arkane Lyon, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, MachineGames, ZeniMax Online Studios, and the Bethesda publishing and corporate teams are well-positioned to develop new IPs, explore new game concepts, and expand our existing franchises as we expand our Aligning plans and resources to succeed in this complex and changing industry.”
“- Matt”
