Without a doubt, 2024 has been a rollercoaster for Tango Gameworks. After releasing the PlayStation 5 port of the acclaimed 2023 title Hi-Fi RUSH, the studio abruptly closed its doors in May alongside 3 other Bethesda and Microsoft studios. It appears they were already working on a sequel at that time.
After the studio founded by Shinji Mikami ceased operations earlier this year, Krafton acquired it in August along with the rights to the Hi-Fi RUSH franchise. The South Korean conglomerate later revealed that they decided to buy and save the company to preserve its legacy and explore its creative potential.
In that vein, it seems almost certain that a second installment of the rhythmic action video game will eventually see the light of day. In fact, the project was already on the planning table when Microsoft decided to close the studio.
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Tango Gameworks was already working on the Hi-Fi RUSH sequel
This was revealed by Maria Park, the director of corporate development at Krafton. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.Biz, she explained that they saw a preliminary version of Hi-Fi RUSH 2, which had been in development for about 6 months when they first met with Tango Gameworks.
“I think the version we reviewed was about 6 months old when we met with them. At this time, and because the acquisition of the intellectual property is in process, [production] is on hold because all the assets and related tools will be transferred to Krafton from Microsoft,” the executive said.
Maria Park emphasized that the team will still work on the new installment, but she stressed that they won’t rush development just to offer a new game from the IP as soon as possible. “We want to make sure the sequel exceeds the community’s expectations in terms of quality,” she explained.
Along those lines, the Krafton executive promised that the team will listen to community feedback. For instance, she explained that some players complained that the first game was too linear, so the sequel could feature more expansive and dynamic environments.
On the other hand, the executive confirmed that Ghostwire: Tokyo and The Evil Within will remain under Microsoft’s umbrella. While she admitted that she would have liked to acquire the rights to these franchises, she revealed that doing so would have complicated and prolonged the negotiation process. Therefore, they focused their efforts on obtaining the Hi-Fi RUSH series.
Maria Park went on to explain that Phil Spencer of Xbox supported the proposal to save Tango Gameworks and the legacy of the franchise. She also mentioned that more than 50 employees returned to the studio, as others had already found new jobs. The workforce is expected to grow in the coming months.
“We will add between 70 and 80 employees. We are also going to fill some of the positions that need immediate attention. So, the total studio size will probably reach around 90 to 100 by the end of the year or early next year,” the Krafton executive commented.
But tell us, would you like to see a sequel to Chai and his friends' adventure? Let us know in the comments.
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