Hi-Fi Rush couldn’t be more recommended (Bethesda Softworks)
Rather than just getting angry at Xbox, fans of Tango Gameworks’ have taken to flooding Steam with positive reviews of the game.
Although it was never going to pass without comment, Microsoft must be surprised and alarmed at just how upset their fans are, at them shutting down three of Bethesda’s developers. It’s not gloating PlayStation fans that are causing a furore online but Xbox owners, although they have now found a more constructive way to vent their frustrations.
Microsoft shut down Redfall developer Arkane Austin and Mighty Doom maker Alpha Dog Games, and reduced Roadhouse Games (who were formally original Prey developer Human Head Studios) to a support studio for The Elder Scrolls Online. But it’s the closure of The Evil Within and Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks that has caused the most controversy.
The critically acclaimed game seemed to be exactly the sort of lower budget title Microsoft wanted to encourage more of and to highlight their anger at Tango’s fate, fans have taken to review-bombing the Steam review… with praise.
Usually, review-bombing refers to disgruntled fans writing extremely negative reviews, often as part of an organised campaign, to reduce the overall rating on Steam.
The most recent example of this was Helldivers 2, when fans were outraged at Sony’s decision to require a PSN account to play it – which wasn’t possible in many countries. So they review-bombed the game on Steam, Sony changed their mind, and then fans organised a second campaign to improve the rating again.
That hasn’t quite worked yet, as the rating for recent reviews is still only ‘Mixed’ but for Hi-Fi Rush it’s ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’, for both recent and all reviews.
Everyone loves Hi-Fi Rush except Microsoft (Steam)
The number of positive reviews shot up on Tuesday, May 7 – the day that the closures were first announced – and have only increased since.
Unfortunately, unlike Helldivers 2, it’s highly unlikely that Microsoft will reverse their decision, as the announcement has already been made and by now staff will be looking for new jobs.
You can probably already imagine what the reviews themselves say, but some choice examples include ravenwolfvenom, who says simply: ‘Thanks to Tango Gameworks for the best game. F*** you Microsoft.’
‘Tango Gameworks was cooking too much so they had to shut it down. Thanks Microsoft…’ says Branleon1, sarcastically.
Others went into more detail, with KillianCU commenting: ‘Hi-Fi Rush was the best game Xbox published in over a decade, it won awards and was beloved by everyone. Microsoft’s answer is to shut them down, and it’s c***.
‘Hi-Fi Rush is worth playing 1000%, please buy this game and experience one of the best character action games. I fear because of the licensed music it will get delisted in the future because Microsoft clearly doesn’t care.
‘Tango, Arkane Austin and everyone affected today didn’t deserve this.’
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That’s actually a valid point about the licensed music, although there is an answer of sorts, as a physical version of the game is being released by Limited Run Games, for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
According to them it’s still going to happen, although shortly before Tango Gameworks’ closure there were rumours of a Switch version and that has likely now been cancelled.
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MORE : Xbox shuts down Bethesda studios including Redfall and Hi-Fi Rush developers
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