After Xbox shut down Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, and other beloved studios, the floodgates opened; the company has been on the receiving end of a constant wave of backlash for days, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.
The criticism doesn’t just stem from fans of ‘rival’ brands (Nintendo, Sony, etc.). Xbox’s dedicated fans have seemingly had it with the company and are moving to other devices in a show of defiance.
Xbox Users Say Goodbye to their Series X/S
Microsoft’s gaming brand is taking a pretty bad hit on social media, as many are angry, frustrated, and disappointed at it after it was revealed that the company would be taking the axe to beloved studios.
Alpha Dog Studios, Arkane Austin, and Tango Gameworks were completely shut down, while Roundhouse Games was consolidated into ZeniMax Online Studios’ team.
I will no longer be playing on my Xbox Series X and S consoles.
Until I get a PC everything I play will be on my PlayStation 5.
Bye Xbox. pic.twitter.com/pBihRWMP6D
— PeterOvo (@PeterOvo5) May 8, 2024
Even the brand’s fans have been upset at the current situation. People have been coming out in troves, publicly announcing their decisions to abandon their Series X/S consoles and move on to PlayStation or other platforms.
Some people seemed to find the post a bit hypocritical, however. So far, in 2024, Sony has shut down the entirety of its London studio, cutting about 900 jobs.
You morons can't read, I'm playing on PlayStation until I get a GPU
— PeterOvo (@PeterOvo5) May 8, 2024
When called out about this, the OP quickly reiterated that they would ultimately be switching to a PC to play.
Not everyone was hostile, however. One pointed out that, when issues tend to happen in the community, the common sentiment is to “vote with your wallet.” The reply expressed that when people go through with this, there seems to be anger over it.
People say “vote with your wallet” and when you do, they come with the pitchforks. Just look at these weirdos below🤣🤣
— 🇺🇸The Milkmans Kid🇺🇸 (@dreaddinit) May 8, 2024
It’s not just the OP for this tweet, either. Other people have gradually canceled and moved from their Series X/S consoles to the PS5.
@Xbox has lost all my confidence. All of it. Cancelling gsmepass, moving to PlayStation .
— BIRDBOI (@birbboi_) May 7, 2024
It seems that this new series of closures was the last straw for many. Being that Arkane Austin was forced into the position that it was in and Tango Gameworks was exceeding expectations with Hi-Fi Rush‘s release, many are confused as to why these studios were targeted in the first place.
While Some Move to Sony, Others Shun the Console War Entirely
With Microsoft’s recent decisions, fans felt its gaming brand effectively signed its grave with this move. Players would rather stick to Sony, right?
Except, as discussed before, even the rival console company has been shutting down studios when they get the chance.
@Xbox I'm done with you motherfuckers, closing down the studio for hifi rush now?
I'm moving to PC, playstation isn't worth it either.
Never buying a console again.— Jacob_01 (@Jacob_01Xx) May 8, 2024
Tired of this dynamic entirely, some people have sworn off both sides of the console war; instead, they’re moving to PC.
"I'm leaving Xbox & going to Playstation because they closed 4 studios."
When Playstation close more studios & fire even more people, where yall going then?
This is an industry problem, not a Xbox problem. A lot of people on Twitter love speaking dumb 😂💯 pic.twitter.com/ERPSbBwKtE
— Darrius Fears (@TheRealDfea) May 8, 2024
People on social media are seemingly fed up with people claiming to switch from Xbox to Playstation too, as it’s just jumping from the frying pan into a fire.
As many have mentioned, this problem plagues the entire gaming industry, not a specific brand. Times are changing, but the industry continues to perpetuate the endless cycle of crunch and layoffs.
What do you think is the solution to this industry-wide epidemic? Let us know in the comments below!
