Limited Run Games and Tango Gameworks - or at least what’s left of it - have confirmed that the physical release of Hi-Fi Rush is still going ahead. Following the studio’s closure, most of us assumed that the project had died along with it, but it turns out everyone involved is striving to carry out one final hurrah on behalf of Chai and friends.

Few details are known about the physical release right now, other than the fact it’s coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X at some point in the future. Knowing Limited Run, it will be presented in luscious packaging with a handful of worthwhile cosmetic bonuses like its soundtrack, art book, or even some stickers. Tiers of different editions are also commonplace, and with Hi-Fi Rush wanting to go out with a bang, it’ll likely be in high demand.

Hi-Fi Rush And Its Licensed Music Come At A Cost

Hi-Fi Rush’s physical version also raises an interesting point about the game’s future. A final update was released this past week that introduced some minor bug fixes on all platforms, and who knows if the rumoured Switch port will materialise now?

But fans of Hi-Fi will be aware that a handful of its most iconic moments are underpinned by licensed music. Tango also recorded original music for these sequences that streamers can use to avoid copyright strikes, but without The Prodigy, The Black Keys, Nine Inch Nails, or The Joy Formidable, these levels would not be the same. Unfortunately though, we live in a society where these licenses will one day expire and Hi-Fi Rush will need to patch them out or be removed from sale entirely.

Unless you have a physical copy handy, which we know will be scarce due to its support by Limited Run instead of Microsoft, there is a chance that digital versions will be removed one day, even if that time is still years or decades in the future. Agreements were signed for the use of this music, and thanks to the wonderful world of capitalism, if money doesn’t keep on changing hands, Hi-Fi Rush can’t use it forever.

We have seen games like Grand Theft Auto 4 temporarily removed from sale to replace expired licensed tracks, while even the MGS HD Collection had to be pulled from shelves briefly in order to address archive footage Konami no longer had the rights for. As we enter a digital age, these are the things that video games and other artistic mediums have to deal with. It’s cool in the moment, but licensed music also paves the way for an uncertain future.

If Tango continued to exist and wasn’t shut down for ridiculous reasons, we would probably be living in a world where Hi-Fi Rush would eventually be updated to either renew licenses, remove music, or emphasise the original soundtrack over bangers like Invaders Must Die or Whirring. It would suck in its own way, but at least there would be peace of mind that a title we paid for and enjoyed wouldn’t be suddenly taken away from us for no good reason. Now it feels like in the distant future there is a chance of that happening, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Except, pick up a physical copy that preserves Hi-Fi Rush for as long as a console keeps on working.

Physical Media Remains Key To Video Game Preservation

I understand the harsh realities of business, but it sucks when pursuits of creativity have to abide by them or be punished, or strike a balance between artistic intent or paying off the man to use other works within their own. Hi-Fi Rush is a game about and driven by music, and it only seems right that Tango should be able to make use of select tracks to bring it to life while splicing its own, equally powerful original soundtrack.

Digital purchases are meant to be convenient and longer lasting, but in reality, they are bound to a license or agreement we ultimately have no control over. It can be taken away at a moment’s notice, so physical and unofficial digital back-ups remain the only way to truly preserve the games we love.

Hi-Fi Rush deserves better than this, but with the closure of Tango and potential conflicts awaiting the digital version in the years to come, picking up a physical copy could be the most reliable way to ensure we can still experience it decades from now.

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Hi-Fi Rush

Action Systems 4.5/5 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 89/100 Critics Rec: 95% Released January 25, 2023 ESRB Rated T: Fantasy Violence, Language Developer(s) Tango Gameworks Publisher(s) Bethesda Engine Unreal Engine 4
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Hi-Fi Rush, from Ghostwire: Tokyo developers Tango Gameworks, is a 2023 action game that focuses on rhythm as a core gameplay mechanic. As Chai, you must take on the nefarious megacorp that created your cybernetic arm.

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