Reinventing the New Year: The Transformation of Tango Gameworks into Tango Gameworks Inc.

Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks has officially rebranded as Tango Gameworks Inc. under the guidance of its new parent company, Krafton.

“We are thrilled to keep creating games that bring happiness to players worldwide,” states a post on X. “We appreciate your ongoing support as we begin this new chapter.”

This is a moment that signifies a fresh start for the studio. Tango was closed down by former owner Microsoft in May 2024 amid significant layoffs and studio closures, which also led to the closure of Alpha Dog Games and Arkane Austin.

Tango was considered redundant by the company despite the successful launch of Hi-Fi Rush a year prior. The game was labeled a “breakout success” by an Xbox executive, yet that couldn’t prevent the studio’s shutdown.

Krafton Takes Over Tango

However, it was given another opportunity by PUBG creator Krafton, which acquired the Japanese studio from Microsoft in August 2024—months after Tango seemed to be in limbo.

At that time, Krafton expressed its desire to “ensure continuity at Tango Gameworks, allowing the skilled team to continue developing the Hi-Fi Rush IP and pursue future projects.”

In a conversation with Game Developer about the acquisition a few weeks later, Krafton CEO Changhan ‘CH’ Kim stated that the move was about preserving the legacy of Tango Gameworks and referred to it as a “last-minute deal.”

Kim acknowledged that projects like Hi-Fi Rush might not generate significant profit, but encouraged studios like Tango to innovate with fresh ideas nonetheless.

“We wanted to preserve their legacy,” Kim stated. “Even though they may not have had massive success with their games, we recognized many creative talents worth cultivating. That’s why we wanted to collaborate with that studio.”

Krafton acquired the Hi-Fi Rush franchise in addition to Tango, and a sequel is very much a possibility. When discussing how Tango would operate under Krafton, Kim mentioned that the studio aims to recruit “at least 100 people,” including many former employees.

“They might require a larger team. While we haven’t finalized that yet, we don’t intend to reduce the team’s size at all,” Kim added. “They need to work on new projects as well, so there’s a strong possibility the team will expand further.”

About the Author