PUBG publisher Krafton has acquired Tango Gameworks and the Hi-Fi Rush IP from Xbox, meaning the studio will no longer be shut down.
Krafton shared the news in a press release alongside confirming that, “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,” the press release continues. “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.”
In May 2024, Microsoft announced that it had closed a number of Bethesda studios, including Tango Gameworks and Redfall’s Arkane Austin. This was obviously met with shock and anger by developers and fans alike, especially after Microsoft executive Aaron Greenberg said on X/Twitter in the past that Hi-Fi Rush was a “breakout hit for [Xbox] and [its] players in all key measurements and expectations.
Hi-Fi Rush hit two million players a month after release and recieved very positive reviews. In our Hi-Fi Rush review, we gave it a 9/10 and said it “marches to the beat of its own drum with stunning animation, loveable characters, and stylish rhythmic action that are anything but one-note.”
While it’s great news Tango Gameworks and High-Fi Rush get to live on, the other studios have not. For more on that, read out features on why success can’t save your favorite game studios anymore and what the previously thought of end of Tango Gameworks means for Game Pass.
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Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.