KRAFTON doubts that Hi-Fi RUSH 2 will generate a lot of money, but believes in Tango Gameworks' talent
A month ago, the South Korean company KRAFTON announced the acquisition of the studio Tango Gameworks, which Microsoft previously attempted to close. In an interview with Game Developer, KRAFTON CEO Changhan Kim provided more details about the deal.
Hi-Fi RUSH
- According to Kim, the deal was finalized at the last minute and was driven by creative rather than commercial motives. KRAFTON wanted to preserve the legacy of Tango Gameworks.
- KRAFTON aimed to act as swiftly as possible. Partly for this reason, they purchased the rights to only one project from the studio (Hi-Fi RUSH), leaving Microsoft with the rights to Ghostwire: Tokyo and The Evil Within series.
- Kim is unable to disclose the amount spent on acquiring Tango Gameworks as the deal is not fully completed. He only mentioned that it was "neither too expensive nor too cheap" an acquisition.
- KRAFTON aims to increase the staff of Tango Gameworks to at least 100 people. Approximately that many worked at the studio in the spring of 2024, but currently, it employs just over 50.
- Kim suggests that many of Tango Gameworks' games, including Hi-Fi RUSH, may not have been profitable. This does not concern him. KRAFTON's CEO stated that his company isn't afraid to take risks and values innovation and creativity in games above all.
- He added that game companies should not strive for the endless release of bestsellers, as it is unrealistic.
- "Just try to recoup the production costs. That in itself is quite a challenging task. If you try to do this, you might end up with a big hit. I don't trust people who say, 'Oh, this will be a hit.' I need those who try to create something new," Kim stated.
- In Kim's opinion, Hi-Fi RUSH 2 is unlikely to be a profitable game, but it will still be a valuable addition to KRAFTON's portfolio.
- In the future, KRAFTON plans to acquire several more studios similar to Tango Gameworks.
