Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks held a Developer Direct showcase on Wednesday, showing off games like Minecraft Legends, Redfall, and Forza Motorsport. Most of the trailers were for previously announced titles, although the showcase came with a few surprises, including a game called Hi-Fi Rush. Hi-Fi Rush is a game that combined a stylish combat system like Devil May Cry with the rhythmic satisfaction of a rhythm game. The initial trailer wowed audiences with its style, thought the most exciting part of the trailer might have been that it was going to shadow drop later that day.
Hi-Fi Rush was developed by Tango Gameworks, the Bethesda Softworks studio by horror games such as The Evil Within and Ghostwire Tokyo. The game is a massive departure from the studio's recent titles, being a cartoonish rhythm-based action game with a style similar to Jet Set Radio or Sunset Overdrive. Hi-Fi Rush looks to be Shinji Mikami's return to games with more of an action focus, like God Hand, so many people could not wait to get their hands on the game. The game shadow dropped not long after the presentation was complete, which comes with its own set of benefits and drawbacks for its success.
Shadow Dropping Hi-Fi Rush Lets People Go In With An Open Mind
The biggest surprise about Hi-Fi Rush was that a game of such quality was set to be released almost immediately after it was announced. People were rushing to Steam and Game Pass and refreshing the page to see when Hi-Fi Rush would be available. Hi-Fi Rush's visual style and the unique premise intrigued people enough to try it as soon as they could, which is more than can be said about a lot of games that get long marketing campaigns.
It is a good thing that the trailer for Hi-Fi Rush was so striking, as it lets people go in without many expectations. There were no long marketing campaigns or early reviews to set expectations for the game, so it was left to speak for itself. Few games have done this in the past, though games like ActRaiser Renaissance and Tetris 99 come to mind. By having a large influx of players tries out the game at once, impressions of the game's quality are being formed in real-time as opposed to preconceived notions. Hi-Fi Rush's gameplay is left to speak for itself, which is a refreshing change from the usual build to a game's release.
Hi-Fi Rush's Lack of a Marketing Cycle Could Be Detrimental To Its Success
While Hi-Fi Rush being shadow dropped is good for garnering good will among many gamers, it might not be so beneficial for the game's financial success. As mentioned before, the game had no long marketing campaigns, it was just announced and released shortly after. There is a reason video games are marketed, after all. Like any product that is trying to be successful, it relies on enough people seeing its advertising. The Xbox Developer Direct is not something that most people are going to see and only people who closely follow gaming are going to know about Hi-Fi Rush. It likely will not reach an audience outside of people who hear about it from the presentation.
Another thing that could be a detriment as a result of Hi-Fi Rush's lack of marketing is no pre-orders. Some games will be made available to pre-order as soon as they are announced, even if their release date is well over a year away. These pre-orders are used to gauge how successful the game is going to be on launch, so the publishers can plan the game's longevity accordingly. Hi-Fi Rush might have a lot of buzz at the moment, but it is hard to say if it will keep that momentum in a month. There are a lot of high-profile games coming out in early 2023, so there is a lot of competition for relevancy. Pre-orders would have helped bolster the game's success and longevity.
Having a game shadow drop the same day it is announced has always been a double-edged sword. Games like this are usually reserved for small side projects that might be fun to try after a presentation is over. Hi-Fi Rush might not be on the same level as some of its AAA peers from Bethesda, but it is still a well-made game. Its gameplay and style speak for itself without much room for controversy, which is refreshing in the current gaming landscape. Regardless of Hi-Fi Rush's success, it has been a joy to see a surprise like this release with such high quality.
Hi-Fi Rush is out now for PC and Xbox Series X/S. It's also available through Game Pass.