Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks Was Working On 2 Games Before Studio Closure

Tango Gameworks, the developer behind rhythm-based action game Hi-Fi Rush, had been working on 2 games prior to studio closure.

According to the LinkedIn profile of Tsuyoshi Okugawa, former programmer at Tango Gameworks, the Hi-Fi Rush developer had 2 titles in the works before being shutdown by Microsoft. Both games remain unannounced , and one of them had been in development since at least 2023.

Okugawa’s resume states that he worked on one of the 2 unannounced titles as the lead programmer during 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, he also worked as a graphics programmer on the other unannounced game during 2024. It looks like one of the projects was fairly early in development, while the other may have been in active development. Both games were canceled alongside the closure of Tango Gameworks.

It’s possible that one of the 2 titles in development was a sequel to Hi-Fi Rush. Microsoft Vice President of Xbox Games Marketing at Microsoft, Aaron Greenberg, had stated earlier that the game was a “break out hit” for the publisher and its players in all key measurements and expectations. According to him, at the time, the company couldn’t have been happier with what the team at Tango Gameworks delivered with the surprise release, so it’s entirely possible that a sequel may have been greenlit.

Plans ultimately changed, however, and Xbox recently ended up shutting down Tango Gameworks alongside 3 other Bethesda studios. In an email sent out to employees, Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, wrote that the studio closures are grounded in prioritizing high-impact titles and further investing in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games that players invested in over many decades. He added that, in order to double down on these franchises and invest to build new ones, the company will look across the business to identify the opportunities that are best positioned for success. According to him, the re-prioritization of titles and resources meant a few teams will be realigned to others and that some will part ways with the company.