Developer Jar of Sparks announced that it was suspending work in order to look for a new publisher after NetEase Games pulled funding for the studio.
The studio was working on its first project before the latest development occurred. Founder and CEO Jerry Hook posted on LinkedIn that team members will explore new opportunities as the company looks for a publishing partner who can "help bring [its] creative vision to life."
NetEase Games Pulls Funding
He added that throughout this journey, the studio's passionate, driven, and innovative team took bold risks and pushed the boundaries of game development. They strove to create something that was truly new and exciting for the industry as a whole.
Hook said that while they are preparing for the next step in their journey, the studio's talented team members will be looking for new career opportunities.
It is currently unclear just how many employees were affected by the latest decision, according to Games Industry.
He posted separately on LinkedIn saying that Jar of Sparks would be "working over the next few weeks to find all of [its] team new homes." The studio was first announced in 2022 to be an in-house studio for NetEase Games.
Hook was joined by creative director Paul Crocker, executive producer Greg Stone, and gameplay director Steve Dyck. Previously, Hook worked for 343 Industries, now known as Halo Studios, as head of design for "Halo Infinite."
What Comes Next?
On the other hand, Crocker was previously the lead narrative director for the "Batman: Arkham" trilogy, while Stone was a producer on "Doom" 2016, and Dyck had a hand in the "Halo" series, "SSX," and "NBA Street," Yahoo Tech said.
Hook said that the studio's team members have experience in building games for some of the largest video game companies in the world. Jar of Sparks was their attempt at taking a shot at putting their own personal lightning in a bottle.
Jar of Sparks' partnership with NetEase Games initially sounded promising for the new studio.
Hood said that when it was founded, the publisher came forward with a strong creative first approach and demonstrated the same passion they had for their players and building new experiences.
However, the fact that NetEase has now pulled funding is similar to what studio Worlds Untold faced last year. This was a NetEase Games studio that was founded in 2023 and was led by BioWare veteran Mac Walters.
It then announced that it was pausing operations for the development of video games after NetEase Games decided that it would no longer finance the studio, according to PCGamer.
