Hi-Fi Rush and Tango Gameworks Acquired from Xbox by Krafton

PUBG owner Krafton has acquired Tango Gameworks from Xbox, and the Japanese studio is bringing the Hi-Fi Rush IP with it.

Krafton announced the acquisition in its quarterly earnings report and says it is working with Xbox to maintain continuity at Tango Gameworks during a (hopefully) smooth transition.

It was out of the blue when Xbox announced it was closing Tango Gameworks and other Zenimax/Bethesda studios, including Arkane Austin, earlier this year. The release of Hi-Fi Rush was met with critical acclaim, but that wasn’t enough to save Tango Gameworks from the chop, even as Microsoft splashed the cash on acquiring Activision Blizzard.

But now the studio lives to fight another day under new ownership.

Krafton details Tango Gameworks & Hi-Fi Rush acquisition

”Krafton, Inc. today welcomed the talented people of Tango Gameworks to their team, marking an exciting moment in the company’s global expansion and its first significant investment in the Japanese video game market. This strategic move will include the rights to Tango Gameworks’ acclaimed IP, Hi-Fi Rush.” Krafton said in a statement.

”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.”

Tango Gameworks was founded in 2010 and debuted with The Evil With, a survival horror game from Resident Evil guru Shinji Mikami. It went on to make a sequel to that game. It also created the supernatural action game Ghostwire Tokyo.

Hi-Fi Rush surprise launched on Xbox on January 25, 2023, and the rhythm action platformer received high praise from players and critics alike. It also won at the BAFTAs, The Game Awards, and the GDC Choice Awards.

Neil Bolt

Neil became a horror fan from just a nightmare-inducing glimpse of the Ghoulies VHS cover and a book on how to draw ghosts. It escalated from there and now that's almost all he writes and talks about.