Silent Hill Creator Shares His Thoughts About Closure Of Hi-Fi Rush Studio

As a longtime fan of survival horror games and following the unfortunate closure of Tango Gameworks, I can’t help but feel a sense of disappointment and sadness. The studio, founded by industry veterans Shinji Mikami and Keiichiro Toyama, produced some truly remarkable games like The Evil Within and Hi-Fi Rush, which left a lasting impression on me.


In 2024, many companies had to let go of employees and close studios. One unexpected closure was Microsoft’s Tango Gameworks, the team behind Hi-Fi Rush, The Evil Within, and other notable games. Recently, Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of Silent Hill and founder of Bokeh Game Studio, discussed his perspective on why Tango Gameworks didn’t make it.

Shinji Mikami, known for his success in survival horror with Resident Evil series, established Tango Gameworks. Initially, he continued his survival horror theme with The Evil Within and its sequel. However, according to Toyama, a shift from this genre could potentially affect Tango’s future growth.

Toyama shared with VGC, “I wouldn’t presume to offer suggestions, but I believe my earlier point about striking a balance between maintaining routine and preserving the unique elements in your creations applies here.” He continued, “Consider From Software as an illustration. Although they produce various games, there are consistent styles and components that remain constant within their works. This steadfastness could be the secret to thriving and enduring in the industry.”

In a 2022 interview, Mikami revealed Tango’s transition from focusing solely on survival horror. He shared his aspiration to broaden their horizons and explore new genres beyond their signature style. “It’s flattering when people view us as specialists in survival-horror games,” Mikami noted. “However, we aim to be recognized as a versatile studio capable of producing an array of titles.”

As a gamer, I can’t help but notice how Toyama overlooked the impact Xbox Game Pass has had on our purchasing decisions. With Game Pass, we have the luxury of trying out games before making a purchase. This has significantly diminished the motivation for many players, including myself, to buy new titles outright. Microsoft boasted about Hi-Fi Rush reaching 2 million players, but even that impressive number wasn’t enough to keep Tango Gameworks afloat. Sadly, Shinji Mikami parted ways with the studio in 2023, months before Microsoft decided to shut it down.

Despite Tango Gameworks being closed down now, supporters of Hi-Fi Rush can remain optimistic as Limited Run is planning to release a physical version of the game soon.

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2024-07-18 02:09