
To avoid becoming jaded, we are choosing to think this year will be different for the video game industry. Never mind that the tens of thousands of layoffs in development and publishing last year are likely to have ongoing and systemic implications for many more to come. We want to focus on a single silver lining and remain positive: Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks has risen from the flames like a phoenix and, under KRAFTON, will live again, this time as Tango Gameworks Inc.
After Tango was unceremoniously axed by Xbox alongside other Bethesda studios, Korean publisher KRAFTON (of PUBG fame) worked behind the scenes to preserve the Tokyo-based team. In a year filled with stories of studio closures, redundancies, and furloughs, this was one of the few we covered that achieved something like a positive outcome.
On X, Tango announced the happy news, blessing the timeline with some positivity. KRAFTON seemingly doesn't expect Hi-Fi Rush 2 even to turn a profit, keeping the team alive for the love of the game and its future promise, presumably. You love to see it.
Will 2025 be different for the games industry, or more of the same? There will certainly be games, but probably less studios, by the time all is said and done. Remain calm in the comments section below.
[source x.com]
Comments 12
All industries have their ups and downs and a downturn was always on the cards after the blip that was Covid.
However, this was a surprising and heart warming read. Hopefully the newly reformed Tango team can defy the odds and make Hi-Fi Rush 2 the success the first game deserved to be. Good luck to them!
I will agree and hope that 2025 brings a bit of a turn round in the industry.
Maybe more games will be made in order to just make good games, rather than some just looking at £/$ etc signs.
Maybe more games will be released finished and polished/optimised, and not rushed out early because someone thinks they are 'good enough as is'.
Maybe good studios need not fear having 1 game that doesnt meet sales projections, in a (increasingly?) fickle market.
Its a hope.
These folks were happily fortunate to be brought back from the undeserved fate MS gave them. It amuses me that MS didn’t realize what it had with this group.
I look forward to more of their stuff!
What is this? Typically we go into business to turn a profit and make money, not to bleed $$$. Are they just banking on profit coming in eventually? I’m sincerely confused on how this is even possible from a business standpoint.
Would be ironic if the sequel came back as a PS exclusive after Xbox closed them down. It’s not a triple A game, so it doesnt need a large budget, and im sure it would do well with the Playstation crowd.
Hi- fi Rush is high on my waitlist. It looks like my type of game so I’m happy Tango can still go on with the IP. I couldn’t imagine how crappy it’d feel if I created an IP and was told I couldn’t make future games of it. Glad they’re able to continue to live on!
Whilst I'm happy that Tango has been salvaged at the same time I'm still a bit weary that they've simply gone from one s****y company to another good luck to them. Looking forward to what they make personally wasn't a big fan of Evil Within, really didn't like Ghost wire (I wish we'd gotten Ikumi's actual vision 😭), but Hi-Fi is pretty special so more games like it would be amazing ^__^
Just started playing Hi-Fi Rush yesterday (on Portal) – very enjoyable! Wishing Tango all the best. (And here's to hoping the many, many industry layoffs will land on their feet.)
Really glad to see some positive news for once, wasn't expecting this. Personally I'd love something like The Evil Within, but anything is good.
The optimist in me wants this to be a turn of good fortune that indicates the turn around of fortunes for the industry. The pessimist says otherwise.
I dont think we've hit the tipping point yet, that fractures off the games for profit from the games for the love of games, by lovers of games.
I don't know what that point is, how bad things have to get first, or even it it will ever turn around at all.
@Keyblade-Dan Xbox still owns the Evil Within and Ghostwire IP.
Just give me a spiritual Evil Within sequel and I’m a happy camper.
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