The CEO of the South Korean publishing house Krafton, Changhan Kim, in an interview with Game Developer, explained why his company bought the Japanese studio Tango Gameworks from Microsoft.
Image source: Bethesda Softworks
Let’s remember that in May Microsoft decided to close Tango, despite the fact that its latest project, the rhythm action game Hi-Fi Rush, turned out to be a hit. In August, Krafton announced that it had acquired both the studio itself and the rights to Hi-Fi Rush.
According to Kim, Krafton saved Tango to preserve its legacy. The studio’s portfolio includes Ghostwire: Tokyo and The Evil Within, but buying more of those franchises would complicate what was already a last-minute deal.
Krafton has lured about half of Tango’s employees (about 50 people), but hopes to attract the rest
«We wanted to help the team continue making their games, but especially Hi-Fi Rush. When I think about our fans, what they care about the most is the Hi-Fi Rush sequels,” Kim explained.
At the same time, Krafton understands that the purchase of Tango does not promise mountains of gold: “We don’t think that Hi-Fi Rush 2 will enrich us, to be honest. But that’s part of the game. We should design games to challenge ourselves.”
Krafton hopes to create an environment in Tango where developers can create without fear of failure
Kim added that companies like Krafton should aim not to produce one hit after another – an unrealistic goal – but to focus on breaking even and developing the creativity of their teams.
Hi-Fi Rush debuted in January 2023 on PC (Steam, Microsoft Store), Xbox Series X, S and Game Pass, and reached PS5 in March 2024. The game earned awards at The Game Awards, BAFTA and GDCA, and the team was preparing to take on the sequel.