“I had thought the studio would be safe”: Shinji Mikami Thought He Would Never See His Hard Work at Tango Gameworks Go Down the Drain, But Xbox Had Other Plans

SUMMARY

• Shinji Mikami left the studio he founded after dedicating 14 years of his life to its success.
• Xbox made the decision to shut down the studio as it felt the company's leadership was shaken.
• Tango Gameworks still does not seem to be going anywhere due to its recent acquisition.

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A heartbreaking news struck the gaming world with a sudden blow when Xbox shut down its sole first-party Japanese studio, Tango Gameworks. The decision was taken after the departure of its founder, Shinji Mikami, who was equally shocked.

Shinji Mikami leaves the company he built with his own sweat and blood. Image via Shinji Mikami, Part 1: The birth of the survival horror game via Archipel YT

Mikami has been the mastermind behind the widely celebrated franchise, Resident Evil. He worked as the studio head for Tango Gameworks for 14 years before he decided to leave it all behind.

Shinji Mikami’s Heart Breaking Departure Had A Ripple Effect

Mikami believed that the studio is in a better position after Hi-Fi Rush’s success. Image Credit: Tango Gameworks

Mikami believed that he was not abandoning the studio when it needed him the most, as the studio had just given a super hit cartoon-styled rhythm action game, Hi-Fi Rush, last year. The studio was looking towards a bright future with many more Hi-Fi Rush games on the way.

Sadly, however, Xbox decided to shut down the company. They believed that Tango Gameworks would not serve as a valuable asset in the future and disregarded its past success.

Matt Booty, an Xbox executive, talked about the hard decisions that the company had to make after Mikami left the studio, and it did not have enough faith in the current leadership of Tango Gameworks, which led to the harsh decision of shutting it down. He said:

It’s as much a forward-looking situation as much as it is looking back at one certain game… And while there may have been factors and situations that previously led to success, they may not all still be in place as you look at what you’re doing going forward.

Mikami did not expect this and was of the opinion that the company was shaping up to be better and was left in a good enough position to build things further. He said:

I had thought the studio would be safe as long as they continued to make Hi-Fi Rush games. That’s one of the reasons I left Tango Gameworks. So I was surprised when the studio was closed down.

Xbox’s decision to shut down the company was not well received, and their prediction of Tango’s failure leaves a sour taste.

Tango Gameworks Might Not Die Just Yet

Tango Gameworks might be looking towards a bright future after all. Image Credits: Tango Gameworks

Soon after the studio’s untimely demise, PUBG’s developer Krafton entered into the discussion as a ray of light in a land with inevitable darkness. It struck a strategic deal to acquire Tango Gameworks along with Hi-Fi Rush’s IP.

It’s still uncertain what Krafton is planning to do with the recent acquisition, but one thing can be said for certain: it sees the possibility of growth with the studio and might have some big things planned for the future.

Mikami stressed on the point that making a good game is all that counts, and Krafton’s accusation is proof that as long you stick to making a good game, things are going to fall through sooner or later.

It was great to see the hard work of Mikami and all the other people involved with the game getting their dues now. What do you think about the trajectory of Tango Gameworks? Let us know in the comments below.

Written by Anupam Lamba

Articles Published: 179

Anupam Lamba is an avid gamer and film lover. After completing his bachelors in Mass Communication he started working as a writer in the Indian film industry before his love for gaming made him venture into the lanes of Fandomwire and he started working as a gaming writer here.