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.

Hi-Fi Rush, which was a surprise release last year, was praised for its innovation and charm. The rhythm action game featured music by The Black Keys and Nine Inch Nails, with an art style that evoked the hyper-stylized games of the PS2 era. Just four months after its release, Hi-Fi Rush hit 3 million players. During the 2023–2024 awards season, the game went on to win a Game Award, a Game Developers Choice award, and a BAFTA.

  • haui@lemmy.giftedmc.com
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    6 months ago

    All because his mother was on the board of directors? Now I understand why he wont give away his fortune. He isnt the saint everybody thinks he is. Its all marketing.

    • Risk@feddit.uk
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      6 months ago

      I mean, yeah… There’s no such thing as being an ethical billionaire.

      • haui@lemmy.giftedmc.com
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        6 months ago

        Yeah. Try to tell that to anyone who is in that TV-watching-bubble. I have problems even conveying that musk is not a saint.