When Microsoft shuttered Tango Gameworks earlier in the year in spite of the critical and commercial success that Hi-Fi Rush enjoyed, all hopes of a sequel were suddenly killed. However, with Korean publisher Krafton having acquired both Tango Gameworks and the rights to the Hi-Fi Rush IP in August, a Hi-Fi Rush 2 is very much back on the menu.
Of course, it’s safe to say that the rhythm action sequel is probably a ways off yet, though interestingly enough, some brief details on what it will be like have emerged nonetheless. Speaking in an interview with GamesIndustry, Maria Park – who is Krafton’s “head of corporate development” – stated that Hi-Fi Rush 2 is indeed in the works, and that Tango Gameworks is looking to make it “a more open world type of experience” compared to the first game. As per Park, though the game is unlikely to be fully open world, it will let players traverse and explore “more dynamic” environments.
“Yes, the team was working on Hi-Fi Rush 2 when we first met them,” she explained. “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 went on to explain that Tango Gameworks currently has a six-month-old build of the sequel in place, and though work on it had paused due to the studio’s closure and subsequent sale to Krafton, that work will soon resume.
“I think the build that we looked at was about six months old when we went to meet with them,” she said. “At the moment, because the IP acquisition is in progress, it’s been on hold because all the related assets and tools will be transferred to Krafton from Microsoft. But yes, we’ll continue working on it for sure. Like I said, we won’t really rush to the market just to deliver a sequel. We want to make sure that the sequel is actually at a quality level that surpasses the community’s expectations.”
