Microsoft ferme définitivement 4 studios Bethesda dont Arkane Austin (Redfall) et Tango Gameworks (Hi-Fi Rush)
Microsoft, à travers sa filiale Xbox Game Studios, a récemment annoncé des fermetures majeures concernant plusieurs studios de Bethesda, dont Arkane Austin, créateur de Redfall, et Tango Gameworks, le développeur du récent Hi-Fi Rush, mais également Roundhouse Games et Alpha Dog Studio. Selon un mail envoyé aux employés par Matt Booty, directeur de Xbox Game Studios, ces décisions font partie d'une stratégie visant à prioriser certains titres et allouer des ressources en conséquence.
La fermeture de ces studios intervient dans le cadre d'une reprioritisation des titres et ressources. Les employés touchés seront soit réaffectés à d'autres équipes au sein de Bethesda, soit encouragés à chercher de nouvelles opportunités. Des offres de compensation seront proposées pour les joueurs ayant acheté le contenu téléchargeable.
Game Over pour Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog Studios et Roundhouse Games
Microsoft ferme plusieurs studios Bethesda, dont Arkane Austin et Tango Gameworks, pour se concentrer sur d'autres projets prioritaires. Les titres tels que Hi-Fi Rush et Redfall resteront jouables, mais ne bénéficieront plus de mises à jour importantes.
Arkane Austin
Arkane Austin, connu pour son travail sur Redfall, sera dissous avec certains membres réaffectés à d'autres studios Bethesda. La dernière mise à jour du jeu sera la finale, et l’équipe s'efforcera de maintenir les serveurs en ligne pour les joueurs existants. Des offres compensatoires seront fournies aux clients ayant acheté le DLC Hero.
Tango Gameworks
L'annonce de la fermeture de Tango Gameworks surprend d'autant plus que le studio venait de lancer Hi-Fi Rush, bien accueilli par les critiques. Ce titre restera disponible sur les plateformes actuelles, mais il n'est pas prévu que le personnel soit réaffecté ailleurs dans Bethesda.
Alpha Dog Studios
Le studio canadien Alpha Dog Studios, spécialisé dans les jeux mobiles, fermera ses portes. Microsoft mettra fin au service du jeu Mighty Doom le 7 août et désactivera toutes les options d'achat dans le jeu.
Roundhouse Games
L'équipe de Roundhouse Games rejoindra ZeniMax Online Studios pour soutenir le développement de The Elder Scrolls Online. Les employés travailleront plus étroitement pour développer l'univers du jeu en ligne.
L'email de Matt Booty aux employés obtenu par IGN
« Today I’m sharing changes we are making to our Bethesda and ZeniMax teams. 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.
Here are the changes going into effect:
Arkane Austin – This studio will close with some members of the team joining other studios to work on projects across Bethesda. Arkane Austin has a history of making impactful and innovative games and it is a pedigree that everyone should be proud of. Redfall’s previous update will be its last as we end all development on the game. 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.
Alpha Dog Studios – This studio will also close. We appreciate the team’s creativity in bringing Doom to new players. Mighty Doom will be sunset on August 7 and we will be turning off the ability for players to make any purchases in the game.
Tango Gameworks – Tango Gameworks will also close. We are thankful for their contributions to Bethesda and players around the world. Hi-Fi Rush will continue to be available to players on the platforms it is today.
Roundhouse Games – The team at Roundhouse Games will be joining ZeniMax Online Studios (ZOS). Roundhouse has played a key role in many of our recent game launches and bringing them into ZOS to work on The Elder Scrolls Online will mean we can do even more to grow the world that millions of players call home.
With this consolidation of our Bethesda studio teams, so that we can invest more deeply in our portfolio of games and new IP, a small number of roles across select Bethesda publishing and corporate teams will also be eliminated.
Those whose roles will be impacted will be notified today, and we ask that you please treat your departing colleagues with respect and compassion. We will provide our full support to those who are impacted in today’s notifications and through their transitions, including severance benefits informed by local laws.
These changes are not a reflection of the creativity and skill of the talented individuals at these teams or the risks they took to try new things. 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.
Bethesda remains one of the key pillars of Xbox with a strong portfolio of amazing games and thriving communities. As we look to the future, there is an impressive line-up 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. As we align our plans and resources to best set ourselves up for success in this complex and changing industry, our teams across Arkane Lyon, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, MachineGames, ZeniMax Online Studios and the Bethesda publishing and corporate teams will be well-positioned to build new IP, explore new game concepts, and expand on our existing franchises.
– Matt »
Ces changements majeurs témoignent de la volonté de Microsoft d'investir plus profondément dans ses titres phares et d'optimiser ses ressources pour offrir des jeux à fort impact. Malgré les fermetures, Bethesda et Xbox misent sur des franchises existantes telles que The Elder Scrolls et Fallout. De plus, de nouveaux projets tels que Starfield Shattered Space et Indiana Jones promettent d'attirer l'attention des joueurs en 2024 et au-delà. Malgré tout, c'est une triste nouvelle.
Nos articles sur Microsoft