We hope you’re having fun traversing the Wasteland in the May 2024 TA Playlist game, Fallout 3, but it’s time to return to the Vault for a few minutes to vote for next month’s TA Playlist game.When we start talking about the month’s Playlist offerings, we often look at current events in the gaming industry. Such was the case with the May theme, games with recent TV adaptations, which led us to this month’s playthrough of Fallout 3. Our theme for June is also related to a current industry zeitgeist, albeit a far less cheerful one.It’s no secret that while there have been great games released recently, it’s been a tough year or two for game developers, as layoffs and shutdowns have rocked the industry amid challenging economic conditions, corporate restructuring, and the continuing fallout from the global pandemic. Most recently, we received the news that Microsoft is closing several studios that came on board with their purchase of Bethesda back in 2021. Sadly, these are just the latest in a long line of layoffs and shutdowns across the industry. Some happen as a result of a big game failing to meet expectations, while other times, even successful studios find themselves on the corporate chopping block as bean counters look to eliminate costs and redundancies. While it’s never fun to hear news of studios closing and the real-world impact that has on the lives of the game developers and other employees of those studios, we thought this month would be a good opportunity to show a little love to some games made by now-defunct studios. The nominees for the June 2024 TA Playlist poll are:Hi-Fi RushMaybe the biggest surprise to come out of the recent Xbox studio closures was Tango Gameworks, especially coming off their recent success with Hi-Fi RUSH, which shadow dropped onto Xbox Game Pass in January 2023, and recently became one of the first Xbox exclusives to be released on PS5.Labeled “defective” after a shady corporate experiment mistakenly fuses a music player to his heart, wannabe rockstar Chai and his ragtag team of allies must fight for his freedom in a slick animated world where everything — platforming puzzles, enemy attacks, and even the colorful gags and banter — are synced to the beat. Take on armies of corporate drones (read: actual robot hordes) in satisfying, rhythm-amplified combat.Hi-Fi Rush has an impressive TA user rating of 4.47/5, with almost 159,000 tracked gamers having started the game. Only 294 tracked gamers have gone on to earn the full completion, however, which includes 71 total achievements (61 in the base game and 10 more in the Arcade Challenge! Update!). It’s estimated that the full completion will take 70-90 hours to complete, but we do have a Hi-Fi RUSH Walkthrough from Master Calv1n to make sure you stay on the beat.PreyAnother Bethesda studio that was shuttered as part of this week’s news was Arkane Austin, although this one was perhaps a bit less of a surprise due to the overall lackluster reception of their most recent game, Redfall. For the Playlist, however, we decided to go back to Arkane Austin’s previous hit, Prey, released in 2017, which is also available in Xbox Game Pass.In Prey, you awaken aboard Talos I, a space station orbiting the moon in the year 2032. You are the key subject of an experiment meant to alter humanity forever – but things have gone terribly wrong. The space station has been overrun by hostile aliens, and you are now being hunted. As you dig into the dark secrets of Talos I and your own past, you must survive using the tools found on the station, your wits, weapons, and mind-bending abilities.Prey currently has a TA User rating of 4.13/5.00 and has been started by more than 170,000 tracked gamers, with just under 1,000 (3%) earning all 58 of the game’s achievements (48 from the base game and 10 from the Mooncrash DLC). The full completion will take 55-70 hours, according to the TA user base, but hopefully, the Prey Walkthrough by SwelterinBeaver will help you shave some time off of that estimate.Saints RowNext up for this month’s poll is Saints Row, the attempted reboot of the Saints Row franchise. The game wasn’t a big hit with critics or the community in general, which was probably a factor in developer Volition getting shut down by parent company Embracer Group last year.As the future Boss, with Neenah, Kevin, and Eli by your side, you’ll form The Saints – and take on Los Panteros, The Idols, and Marshall as you build your empire across the streets of Santo Ileso and battle for control of the city. Ultimately, Saints Row is the story of a start-up company; it’s just that the business The Saints are in happens to be a crime. The unique, sprawling world of Santo Ileso is the backdrop for a wild, larger-than-life sandbox of thrilling side hustles, criminal ventures, and blockbuster missions as you shoot, drive, and wingsuit your way to the top.Saints Row’s TA User rating is a bit lower than our typical Playlist nominee, at 3.35/5, but it’s still been started by more than 57,000 tracked gamers, with over 900 going on to earn the full completion. It’s estimated that it will take you somewhere between 50 and 70 hours to earn all 64 of the game’s achievements, with 50 in the base game and the other 14 spread out across the game’s three DLC packs.Ghostwire: TokyoFor our final nominee of the month, we wanted to find another game from a fourth closed studio, but we didn’t want to resort to something like The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, so we decided to pick another recent game from Tango Gameworks, Ghostwire: Tokyo, which released in April 2023.Tokyo is overrun by deadly supernatural forces as a dangerous occultist causes the city’s population to vanish in an instant. Explore a unique vision of Tokyo twisted by a supernatural presence. Wield a combination of upgradeable elemental powers and ghost-hunting skills to combat the supernatural threat. Join forces with a powerful spectral entity on their quest for vengeance and master a powerful arsenal of abilities to unravel the dark truth behind the disappearance.Ghostwire: Tokyo has been played by over 120,000 tracked gamers in the TA community, with just over 1,400 users unlocking all 42 of the game’s achievements, which could take 60-80 hours, according to site estimates. It currently sits at a strong TA community rating of 3.97/5, and is available on Xbox Game Pass.So, which of these games from now-closed studios should the community play next month? Place your vote and let us know your thoughts in the comments! And as always, if you have any suggestions for future Playlist games or themes, be sure to drop them in the TA Playlist Game Suggestion Thread for possible inclusion in a future poll!Which game should the community play for June 2024’s TA Playlist?
Hi-Fi Rush
Prey
Saints Row
Ghostwire: Tokyo