After being subjected to significant layoffs and potential closure, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks will receive a second chance following the acquisition by PUBG publisher Krafton Inc. The former Microsoft studio will relinquish The Evil Within and Ghostwire Tokyo but retain the Hi-Fi Rush IP as part of the deal.
The two gaming conglomerates have reached a deal, first reported Aug. 12 by Windows Central, to transfer Tango Gameworks to Krafton Inc., known for publishing games such as PUBG and The Callisto Protocol. The South Korean publisher will also acquire the beloved Hi-Fi Rush IP, which fans believed would be killed off following the massive cuts at Microsoft, which Tango Gameworks was part of.
As part of the agreement, Microsoft will retain the rights to the Ghostwire Tokyo and The Evil Within franchises, the former of which was particularly successful with over six million players, according to PC Gamer.
Microsoft responded to an inquiry by Windows Central, saying how the company is “working with Krafton to enable the team at Tango Gameworks to continue to build games together,” adding that “there will be no impact to the existing catalog of Tango games.” Krafton issued a press release, sharing its excitement with welcoming the “talented people of Tango Gameworks” and its intent to allow the studio to “explore future projects.”
Tango Gameworks was founded by Shinji Mikami, best known as the father of the Resident Evil franchise, which he developed while working at Capcom. The studio has released numerous games of varying success but general critical acclaim, including The Evil Within 1 and 2, Ghostwire Tokyo, and Hi-Fi Rush. Mikami has since founded a new studio, Kamuy Inc. (thanks, GameRant), a year after departing from Tango itself.
