Redfall, Hi-Fi Rush leads respond to Xbox’s sudden closure of their studios: “I don’t quite have the words”

Today, Microsoft confirmed the closure of several studios under the Bethesda banner, including Prey and Redfall developer Arkane Austin. Studio director Harvey Smith reacted to the news on social media today.

“I just want to say that I love all the people at Arkane Austin so much,” Smith said in a tweet following today’s news. “Great times, hard times, we went through so much, together. Of course, today’s news is terrible, for all of us. Your talent will lift you up, and I will do anything I can to help.” 

Arkane Austin most recently developed Redfall, which was widely maligned at launch and is now ending development without delivering on the final pieces of its update roadmap. Prior to that, however, the studio co-developed the original Dishonored with sister studio Arkane Lyon, and led development on the excellent 2017 immersive sim Prey.

Xbox is also shutting down Alpha Dog Games and Roundhouse Studios, as well as Tango Gameworks, the Japanese studio behind the cult classic horror series The Evil Within and the 2023 award-winning surprise Hi-Fi Rush. John Johanas, creative director at Tango, also reacted to the news on social media, saying, “So this is how it ends… Unfortunately I don’t quite have the words… But at least thank you to everyone who supported us.”

Arkane Lyon studio head Dinga Bakaba also responded to the news earlier today, calling it a “fucking gut stab.” Bakaba said “to any executive reading this, friendly reminder that video games are an entertainment/cultural industry, and your business as a corporation is to take care of your artists/entertainers and help them create value for you.”