Hi-Fi Rush studio Tango Gameworks is set to lose its founder and CEO, Shinji Mikami. Bethesda’s senior vice-president of development, Todd Vaughn announced the news in a company-wide email today, according to True Achievements.
“I am writing today to let you know that studio head Shinji Mikami has decided to leave Tango Gameworks in the coming months,” Vaughn wrote. “Mikami-san has been a creative leader and supportive mentor to young developers at Tango for 12 years through his work on the Evil Within franchise, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and of course, Hi-Fi Rush.”
In the lead up to Mikami’s departure, Bethesda will work with the leadership team of Tango to work out the next steps. The studio will also continue to support Hi-Fi Rush and Ghostwire: Tokyo, the latter of which is widely expected to arrive on Xbox platforms in the coming months when the exclusivity deal with Sony runs out.
After directing The Evil Within, Mikami took on the less hands-on role of executive producer for Tango’s other projects. John Johanas directed both The Evil Within 2 and Hi-Fi Rush, while Kenji Kimura directed Ghostwire: Tokyo.
Prior to founding Tango in 2010, Mikami was responsible for the PlatinumGames classic Vanquish, and (during his time at Capcom) Resident Evil, Resident Evil 4, and Dino Crisis, among others. With a CV that impressive, it’ll be worth keeping an eye out to see where he pops up next.
Update: Xbox head Phil Spencer has acknowledged the departure of Mikami on Twitter.
Thank you Mikami-san @shinji_mikami for your leadership and your great contributions to the industry. Your guidance and input over the last 2 years has been valuable to me. Looking forward to our continued friendship and looking forward to what lies ahead for @tango_jpn https://t.co/RFP6HRUpj8
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) February 23, 2023
