Jar of Sparks, NetEase's Studio, Pauses Development on First Game
Jerry Hook, former design lead for Halo Infinite, announced that his studio, Jar of Sparks, a NetEase subsidiary, has temporarily halted development on its debut project. The studio, formed in 2022, is actively seeking a new publishing partner to realize its vision for a next-generation narrative-driven action game.
NetEase, a prominent global video game company, currently supports live-service titles including Once Human and the recently launched Marvel Rivals. The latter's success, including the recent Season 1 Battle Pass announcement and upcoming Fantastic Four content, underscores NetEase's commitment to live-service games.
Hook's LinkedIn post confirmed the development pause, emphasizing the studio's search for a partner capable of supporting its creative ambitions. He expressed pride in the team's innovative work and bold risks taken to date. While layoffs weren't explicitly stated, Hook indicated that team members would be exploring new opportunities and the studio would assist in finding them new roles in the coming weeks. This mirrors the experience of other veteran developers, such as Hiroyuki Kobayashi (former Resident Evil producer), who also established a studio (GPTRACK50) with NetEase.
The news comes amidst a period of transition for the Halo franchise, following challenges with Halo Infinite's post-launch content and the reception of the Paramount+ series. However, 343 Industries' rebranding to Halo Studios and the shift to Unreal Engine suggest a potential resurgence for the franchise. Meanwhile, Jar of Sparks' temporary pause presents an opportunity for the studio to secure a partnership that can effectively launch its ambitious project.
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