South Korean publisher Krafton (PUBG: Battlegrounds, The Callisto Protocol) has acquired Tango Gameworks and the Hi-Fi Rush IP from Microsoft, two months after the entire studio was unceremoniously shuttered.
In May 2024, Microsoft announced it would shut four major Bethesda studios – Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog Games, and Roundhouse Games – as part of “tough decisions to create capacity to increase investment in other parts of [its] portfolio and focus on [its] priority games.” At the time, it appeared Microsoft had chosen to shut these studios entirely, with no intention of selling them or forming plans for their most popular IP.
Now, in a frankly surprising move, Krafton has stepped in to resurrect Hi-Fi Rush and the Tango Gameworks name, with plans to revitalise the abandoned studio and (presumably) allow it to continue creating new works.
Read: Microsoft closes Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and other Bethesda studios
Per GamesIndustry.biz, the works of Tango Gameworks will remain available online, as they currently are, and there’s no plans for this to change in future.
“This integration reinforces Krafton’s dedication to expanding its global footprint and enhancing its portfolio with innovative and high-quality content. The addition of Tango Gameworks represents a strategic alignment with Krafton’s mission to push the boundaries of interactive entertainment,” the publisher said.
How this move will play out is currently unknown, as the two month gap between Tango Gameworks’ closure and Krafton’s acquisition means much of the studio’s staff will have found other work, or otherwise moved on. A studio is made by the people in it, and for Tango to retain its spirit, its original development team must be largely reconstituted.
We’ll likely hear much more about this acquisition process in the coming weeks, as Krafton prepares to share more about its plans, and how it’s been able to salvage the studio.
Update 12:05pm: Tango Gameworks Creative Director John Johanas has confirmed he’s “back” in a Twitter / X post, which is a positive sign for the studio.
