Tango Gameworks had a six-month-old build of a Hi-Fi Rush sequel when the studio was acquired by Krafton back in August. The studio would also like to bring the game to more platforms, and plans for the sequel to have a more open and dynamic environment.
It's been a wild ride for Tango Gameworks, the developer behind the 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."
The success of Hi-Fi Rush was a major factor in Krafton's decision to acquire the studio.
"I think that gave us confidence because the studio is not relying on the creativity of just Shinji Mikami, New creatives are coming from younger developers, and they were very successful in delivering something so unique."
"We could tell that this is a studio capable of creating the full spectrum of different experiences. They have a couple of new projects in production, we looked at them, [and] they were very different from the previous titles."
As for bringing Hi-Fi Rush to other platforms, such as Nintendo Switch, that's "what the team really wants," said Park. "I think [they] want to work on Hi-Fi Rush DLC [too] because they are dedicated to ensuring that Hi-Fi Rush 2 upholds high standards of quality. They don't want to rush the sequel but take the necessary time to refine the game and come up with a different experience."
When Krafton first met with Tango Gameworks to discuss an acquisition, the build for the sequel was about six months old, though development has been on hold as the IP acquisition from Microsoft to Krafton is still underway.
"Yes, the team was working on Hi-Fi Rush 2 when we first met them," said Park. "They want to make sure [it] surpasses the expectations of the existing fans. For instance, some of the feedback about Hi-Fi Rush was that some people felt it was [just] going through factories, so now they want to give a more open world type of experience. I don't think it's going to be completely open world, but a more dynamic environment [that] you play in. Also, having more advanced technology applied to the rhythm action so that it feels more synchronised."
Park also confirmed Tango's other IP - Ghostwire: Tokyo and The Evil Within - will stay with Microsoft and are not part of Krafton's acquisition.