Summary
The head ofKraftonexplained that the South Korean publisher acquired Tango Gameworks in an effort to preserve the shuttered studio’s legacy.Kraftonis the parent company of Bluehole, PUBG Studios, and Unknown Worlds Entertainment, just to name a few.
In June, Microsoft announced theclosure of Tango Gameworks, its sole Japan-based development studio. The move shocked many in the industry as the affected team was behind the well-receivedEvil Withinseries and, most recently, 2023’s critically acclaimedHi-Fi Rush, widely regarded as one of the most charming games in Xbox’s already limited portfolio of first-party properties. Krafton, the publisher ofPUBG: BattlegroundsandThe Callisto Protocol, ended up purchasing Tango Gameworks from Microsoft for an undisclosed amount, and the reason behind the acquisition has finally been revealed to the public.
Krafton CEO Changhan Kim said in aninterview with Game Developerthat his company wanted to secure as many people from Tango Gameworks as possible to continue the studio’s legacy. According to Kim, the developer’s releases were not considered massive hits, but the team itself was filled with many creatives who were worth pursuing. The head executive added that the cost of the acquisition, which was apparently a last minute deal, was neither too expensive nor too cheap. Kim pointed out, however, that the amount exchanged was not really important tovideo game giant Microsoft. “We cannot really translate the volume into money. It’s more about the significance,” Krafton’s head explained.
Why did Krafton Acquire Tango Gameworks?
Around 50 developers from Tango Gameworks were supposed to be transferred to Krafton’s Japanese subsidiary, journalist Stephen Totilo reported. These employees would have continued working on new projects, including an expansion of theHi-Fi RushIP that Krafton was also able to acquire. Kim is hoping for Tango Gameworks to contribute to Krafton’s goal of increasing its lineup of games. While the CEO believes that aHi-Fi Rushsequel would likely be unprofitable for his company, its development would be a part of Krafton’s strategy to produce titles that feel innovative rather than derivative.
Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty previously alluded to the dissolved developer’s leadership as being a factor in its shutdown.Tango Gamesworks founder Shinji Mikami left the studioin 2023 out of a desire to attain more creative control and to distance himself from the survival horror genre with which he had become largely associated. The veteran game designer revealed that he actually wanted to leave around eight years earlier, but he stayed to finish ongoing projects.
Krafton’s upcoming titles include the isometric roguelike[REDACTED], potentialThe SimsrivalInzoi, and a mobile version ofDark and Darker. In 2024, the company published Unknown Worlds Entertainment’sMoonbreaker, as well as the Indian market releases ofGaruda SagaandBullet Echo.
