Hi-Fi Rush was supposed to be revealed on E3 2020

[John Elden Ring]

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www.gamesradar.com

Hi-Fi Rush was released as a shadow drop, without any kind of previous reveal or trailer. Hardly anyone knew the game existed, just the developers.

However, according to a new interview with Hi-Fi Rush director John Johanas, he revealed that originally the plan was to make a standard announcement for Hi-Fi Rush at E3 2020 (which was canceled at the time due to the coronavirus), but this didn't happen and the game was shelved until Microsoft bought Bethesda.

A decision was made to tease it at E3 2020. But when that event was cancelled, the can was kicked farther down the road. Likewise when Microsoft purchased Bethesda. "We were looking at times to announce it so we wouldn't get overshadowed by something. We wanted to hype it but not get people too excited, or give too much of a chance to jump on it. And then that period just got shorter and shorter."

When the Developer Direct came around, the idea of a shadow drop was mooted - an almost unheard-of suggestion for a game that had been in development for five years. "We were freaking out," Johanas admits. "'Is this gonna work?' You know - what if something happens that day? But I think it went as well as anyone could imagine." In hindsight, however, does he wonder how the game might have been received without the surprise release? "I mean, I was glad that people were enjoying it, you know? But it makes you think, could it have been different if we announced it earlier? I guess we'll never know."

 

[Johnic]

Covid prevented them from releasing a trailer?

 

[flaccidsnake]

I doubt there can ever be a real answer to the whole marketing hype cycle question. Quality and community evangelism of a game counts for so much. You'll always find examples of disasters where mismanaged marketing is blamed, and you'll find examples where a *good* game doesn't live up to years of hype. What's the actual damage of a leak of your 5 year secret project? Does one surprise pop like Hifi Rush scale to where lots of games are 'shadow dropped'? What's the role of Game Pass and "free" downloading in this?

There's just too many variables, too many unclear outcomes, and self-serving reasons to draw one conclusion over another. I figure most studios/publishers are doing what they think is best for their particular game.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

It would have been announced as a multiplat on Switch, PS4 and PS5. The biggest hit for Tango.

Instead it's known as cheap GP fodder. The game is dead.

 

[Nhomnhom]

Shadow dropped into complete irrelevancy, if it was Sony we would say it was sent to die with no marking.

 

[Petekilla]

It’s coming to Switch 2 next year.

 

[KiryuRealty]

Covid prevented them from releasing a trailer?

It’s Bethesda, so with how incompetent they are, it tracks.