Krafton stepped in and acquired the shuttered Tango Gameworks because of the studio's strong identity, and because each of Tango's games has unique core elements. Krafton isn't interested in acquiring studios that create derivative games.
In a lengthy interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Krafton's head of corporate development Maria Park explained why the publisher was so eager to acquire Tango following the announcement that Microsoft was shutting down the studio.
"When we heard Tango Gameworks was facing shutdown, our team immediately flew over to Tokyo," she began. "We recognised that Tango has this rich history of innovation and creativity, and the rarity of being a relatively small studio with a strong fandom. Initially, we weren't sure about whether their legacy of craftsmanship and creativity could continue - especially after the departure of founder Shinji Mikami. But our visit dispelled these worries..."
Park went on to speak about how Krafton's criteria for acquisition include innovation and creativity, stressing that unique innovative gameplay is the publisher's "number one priority." While looking at Tango, Krafton was able to identify each of the studio's games was "unique in their own way."
She added that Krafton has been looking into expanding into the Japanese market for some...
