PUBG publisher Krafton acquires Tango Gameworks following Microsoft shutdown plans

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, it received a last-minute rescue from an unexpected source. South Korean gaming giant Krafton has acquired the Japanese developer, offering fans of Hi-Fi Rush a glimmer of hope.

The move is Krafton’s first major investment in the Japanese gaming market as the PUBG publisher looks to expand its global presence. Krafton now owns the rights to Tango’s popular rhythm fighting game Hi-Fi Rush. The company also mentioned plans to work with Microsoft on a “smooth transition” to ensure the current team can continue to develop new content for the IP.

For fans worried about their favorite titles, Krafton assures that there will be “no impact” on Tango’s existing back catalog. Games like the survival horror series The Evil Within and the recently released 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 just a few months ago it looked like Tango Gameworks was closing its doors for good. In June, photos circulated of a developer celebrating the studio’s “last day” following the layoffs announcement.

The closure was part of Microsoft’s decision to shut down several smaller Bethesda-owned teams, a controversial move that sparked heavy criticism. Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax Media had bought Tango in 2012 and was acquired by Microsoft years later.

The backlash was particularly fierce for Hi-Fi Rush, which had received rave reviews and been seen as a creative bright spot just weeks before the cuts. Angry fans even carried out a reverse review bombing, flooding the game’s Steam page with positive user reviews to protest the decision to shut down the developers.

With Tango now part of the Krafton family, hopes of maintaining Hi-Fi Rush’s momentum may finally be realized. Krafton says it “intends to support Tango” in delivering even more “fresh and exciting experiences” – possibly alluding to the Hi-Fi Rush sequel the team had proposed before the closure.

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 add diversity to their catalog.