After the unfortunate closure of Tango Gameworks by Microsoft in May, fans were left in dismay at the loss of a studio with a rich history of nearly 15 years and acclaimed games like the surprise hit Hi-Fi Rush. However, there is a silver lining as Seoul-based publisher Krafton Inc. has stepped in to save the day by acquiring Tango Gameworks and the Hi-Fi Rush intellectual property from Microsoft.
The agreement between Krafton and Tango Gameworks ensures that the studio can continue to develop the Hi-Fi Rush IP and also explore new projects in the future, as stated in Krafton’s official announcement. It is important to note that this acquisition will not impact other ongoing Tango projects such as The Evil Within and Ghostwire: Tokyo, which will remain under Microsoft’s umbrella.
Krafton made the announcement of the acquisition on Monday morning in Seoul, or Sunday evening for North America. They mentioned that this move signifies their commitment to expanding their global presence and enriching their content portfolio with innovative and premium offerings. A Microsoft spokesperson, speaking with Windows Central, expressed excitement about working with Krafton to support Tango Gameworks in creating their next great game.
Back in May, Tango Gameworks was one of four studios closed down by Microsoft, along with Alpha Dog Games, Roundhouse Games, and Arkane Austin. In a company-wide email, Microsoft justified these closures as necessary to reallocate resources towards investing in other areas of their gaming portfolio and focusing on priority titles.
Hi-Fi Rush originally launched in January 2023 for Xbox and PC as a surprise release following the Xbox and Bethesda Developer Direct showcase. Subsequently, the game made its way to PlayStation 5 earlier this year, joining other Microsoft Studios titles like Pentiment, Grounded, and Sea Of Thieves.