Struggles in the game industry continue: Xbox will reportedly be closing four Bethesda studios, including Alpha Dog, Roundhouse Games, Arkane Austin, and Tango Gameworks. Some staff will be joining other teams, but layoffs will also be taking place.
Staff were informed of the closures via an email by Xbox Games Studios head Matt Booty.
“Today I’m sharing changes we are making to our Bethesda and ZeniMax teams,” the email reads. “These changes are grounded in prioritizing high-impact titles and further investing in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games and beloved worlds which you have nurtured over many decades. “To double down on these franchises and invest to build new ones requires us to look across the business to identify the opportunities that are best positioned for success.
“This reprioritization of titles and resources means a few teams will be realigned to others and that some of our colleagues will be leaving us.”
Unfortunately for fans of the struggling Arkane Austin title Redfall, the game’s previous update will be its last as all future development is being halted.
“The game and its servers will remain online for players to enjoy and we will provide make-good offers to players who purchased the Hero DLC,” Booty wrote.
Hi-Fi Rush, one of Tango Gameworks’ most popular games, will remain on all platforms following the studio’s closure. The studio is also known for its work on The Evil Within and Ghostwire: Tokyo.
“I acknowledge that these changes are also disruptive to the various support teams across ZeniMax and Bethesda that bring our games to market. We are making these tough decisions to create capacity to increase investment in other parts of our portfolio and focus on our priority games,” Booty concluded.
