Hi-Fi Rush Director Says Game Has Been in Development Since 2017, Pre-Bethesda Buyout

hifi rush

Tango Gameworks Game Designer and Hi-Fi Rush director has shot down claims that the game was made because of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, stating that he pitched idea for Hi-Fi Rush in 2017 to Bethesda, long before Microsoft’s acquisition of the company.

Discussing the genesis of his funky rhythm-action brainchild, Johanas brought up his nervousness while originally pitching the idea to Tango Gameworks’ parent Bethesda:

It’s one of those […] dream games that I had like, way way back. I had finished working on The Evil Within 2, and we (Tango Gameworks) had just made two horror games in a row. We knew that Ghostwire (Tokyo) was in production; it was the next title that we were going to make. And so I’m like, what if I pitch this? […] This is the most un-Bethesda game I could possibly imagine, and this is going to be a long shot… but I have this idea.

Dismissing the notion that the game only exists because of the Xbox Game Pass distribution platform, Johanas revealed that the idea for the game was pitched six years ago in 2017, long before Microsoft even initiated its acquisition of Bethesda:

This is like, 2017. I know people were saying “Oh, you made this because of Game Pass,” but this is before (Microsoft acquired Bethesda).

Thus, a Hi-Fi Rush PS4 or even PS5 version may indeed have been in the cards before Microsoft finalized its acquisition of Bethesda in 2021, seeing as much of Bethesda’s IP catalogue will not be catering to PlayStation gamers in the future. the parent of Tango Gameworks’ parent did agree to honor Ghostwire Tokyo’s limited-exclusivity deal with PlayStation, and an Xbox version of the game has still not materialized.

Those looking to get into the colorful, rhythmic chaos of Hi-Fi Rush can now enjoy it on PC and Xbox Series X|S through Xbox Game Pass, and additionally through Xbox Cloud Gaming as well.

Source: Xbox Plays via Dreamboum

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Alex Walters
1 year ago

More attempted manufactured controversy from generation outrage. First, who cares if it was made because of gamepass? Second, anyone that knows anything about game development knows it couldn’t have been done that fast anyway. Third, Microsoft owns Zenimax and all of it’s studios now so they can do whatever the f&^k they want with them and I don’t see how any of it is controversial or “news”. What fake bs.

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