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What just happened? Just when it seemed like the curtain was closing on Tango Gameworks, the studio behind this year's surprise hit Hi-Fi Rush, they received an 11th hour rescue from an unexpected source. South Korean gaming giant Krafton has swooped in to acquire the Japanese developer, providing a glimmer of hope to Hi-Fi Rush fans.
The move marks Krafton's first major investment in the Japanese gaming market as the PUBG publisher aims to expand its global footprint. Krafton now owns the rights to Tango's well-received rhythm combat game Hi-Fi Rush. The company also mentioned plans to cooperate with Microsoft on a "smooth transition" to ensure the current team can continue developing new content for the IP.
For fans concerned about their favorite titles, Krafton assures that there will be "no impact" on Tango's existing back catalog. Games like The Evil Within survival horror series and the recent Ghostwire: Tokyo will remain available on all current platforms. However, the rights acquisition appears to be limited to Hi-Fi Rush for now.
This announcement is an exciting turn of events, especially after it seemed Tango Gameworks was closing its doors for good just a couple of months ago. Photos circulated in June from a developer marking the studio's "last day" after layoffs were announced.
The shutdown was part of Microsoft's decision to close several smaller Bethesda-owned teams, a controversial move that sparked intense criticism. Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, had purchased Tango in 2012 before being acquired by Microsoft years later.
The backlash was particularly strong over Hi-Fi Rush, which had earned rave reviews and was seen as a creative bright spot just weeks before the cuts. Angry fans even staged a reverse review bombing, flooding the game's Steam page with positive user reviews to protest the decision to shut down its developers.
With Tango now part of the Krafton family, hopes of keeping the Hi-Fi Rush momentum alive may finally be realized. Krafton says it "intends to support" Tango in delivering more "fresh and exciting experiences" – potentially hinting at the Hi-Fi Rush sequel the team had pitched before the shutdown.
Reviving an innovative studio like Tango is a bold move that could pay off significantly for the PUBG powerhouse, and adding a rhythm-action icon to their roster would help diversify their catalog.