Three months after Microsoft shut down Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, South Korean publisher Krafton has acquired the Japanese studio and announced plans to continue the Hi-Fi Rush IP.
A screenshot from Hi-Fi Rush (2023), Tango Gameworks
On May 7th, the official Tango Gameworks account announced the studio would be shutting down. It wrote on X, “Today it was announced that Tango Gameworks will close. Thank you to everyone that explored the worlds we created. Hi-Fi Rush along with Tango’s previous titles will remain available and playable everywhere they are today.”
— Tango Gameworks (EN) (@TangoGameworks) May 7, 2024
The announcement was made alongside Microsoft shutting down Arkane Austin, the studio behind Redfall, and mobile game developer Alpha Dog Games. It also merged Roundhouse Studios into The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios.
In an email obtained by IGN’s Wesley Yin-Poole, Xbox Game Studios’ Matt Booty explained the closures and layoffs, “These changes are grounded in prioritizing high-impact titles and further investing in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games and beloved worlds which you have nurtured over many decades.”
He added, “To double down on these franchises and invest to build new ones requires us to look across the business to identify the opportunities that are best positioned for success. This reprioritization of titles and resources means a few teams will be realigned to others and that some of our colleagues will be leaving us.”
A screenshot from Hi-Fi Rush (2023), Tango Gameworks
After going over the closures, Booty stated, “With this consolidation of our Bethesda studio teams, so that we can invest more deeply in our portfolio of games and new IP, a small number of roles across select Bethesda publishing and corporate teams will also be eliminated.”
He went on to note, “These changes are not a reflection of the creativity and skill of the talented individuals at these teams or the risks they took to try new things. I acknowledge that these changes are also disruptive to the various support teams across ZeniMax and Bethesda that bring our games to market. We are making these tough decisions to create capacity to increase investment in other parts of our portfolio and focus on our priority games.”
A screenshot from Hi-Fi Rush (2023), Tango Gameworks
At the time, the closure of Tango Gameworks was surprising given Xbox Games Marketing Vice President at Microsoft Aaron Greenberg had asserted in April that the game was “a break out hit for us and our players in all key measurements and expectations. We couldn’t be happier with what the team at Tango Gameworks delivered with this surprise release.”
Aaron Greenberg on X
Now, according to a press release from the South Korean publisher, it purchased Tango Gameworks and “welcomed the talented people of Tango Gameworks to their team, marking a exciting moment in the company’s global expansion and its first significant investment in the Japanese video game market.”
The company added, “This strategic move will include the rights to Tango Gameworks’ acclaimed IP, Hi-Fi RUSH.”
A screenshot from Hi-Fi Rush (2023), Tango Gameworks
Furthermore, the press release added, “As part of this strategic agreement, KRAFTON intends to collaborate with Xbox and ZeniMax to ensure a smooth transition and maintain continuity at Tango Gameworks, allowing the talented team to continue developing the Hi-Fi RUSH IP and explore future projects. KRAFTON intends to support the Tango Gameworks team to continue its commitment to innovation and delivering fresh and exciting experiences for fans. There will be no impact on the existing game catalog of The Evil Within, The Evil Within 2, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and the original Hi-Fi RUSH game.”
For those unfamiliar with Krafton, it has published TERA, PUBG: Battlegrounds, New State Mobile, The Callisto Protocol, and Moonbreaker. The company owns Bluehole Studio, PUBG Studios, Striking Distance Studios, Unknown Worlds, Neon Giant, and more.
A screenshot from Hi-Fi Rush (2023), Tango Gameworks
What do you make of Krafton purchasing Tango Gameworks?
