Tango Gameworks Started Work On Hi-Fi Rush 2 Before Microsoft Closure

This year has already been a wild ride for Tango Gameworks, the developer behind the fan-favorite rhythm-action game Hi-Fi Rush. Microsoft shut down the studio in May, only for Krafton to purchase Tango Gameworks in August as part of a deal that transferred the IP rights for Hi-Fi Rush to the developer’s new owner. And according to Krafton’s head of development Maria Park, Hi-Fi Rush 2 was already in the works when Tango was initially shut down.

Park told GamesIndustry.biz that Krafton “had big fans of Hi-Fi Rush and other titles, and I knew they were working on Hi-Fi Rush 2 when we started talking. We thought we could carry on that legacy and offer more creative ways to keep the game updated.”

She went on to relate that Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer was very supportive of Krafton’s bid to save Tango and acquire the Hi-Fi Rush franchise, which should ensure that the sequel will come to fruition. During the interview, Krafton also said that there are more than the previously reported 50 employees of Tango who came back to the revived studio.

“When we started talking, there were about 90; among them, a few had already found new jobs,” recalled Park. “There’s going to be around 70 to 80 joining us. We’re also going to backfill some of the positions that are immediately in need. So the studio total will probably add up to around 90 to 100 towards the end of the year or the beginning of the next.”

Hi-Fi Rush 2 doesn’t currently have a release date, but the original Hi-Fi Rush will still get a physical release from Limited Run Games in the future.