Jar of Sparks, the Seattle-based “AAA” studio established by Halo Infinite design lead Jerry Hook in 2022, has paused work on its currently unannounced first title while it searches for a new publishing partner, and looks to “find all”. of our team new homes” as a result.
When Jar of Sparks was initially unveiled in July 2022, it was described as an in-house developer from Chinese publisher NetEase that would focus on creating the “next generation of narrative action games.” Little has been heard from the studio since, but Hook, who announced his departure from 343 Industries and Microsoft in May 2002, has now shared a statement on LinkedIn, suggesting that the future of Jar of Sparks is uncertain.
“Today,” Hook wrote, “we notified our team that Jar of Sparks will pause work on our current title while we search for a new publishing partner who can help bring our creative vision to life. Throughout this journey, our passionate, Un “Motivated and innovative team took bold risks and pushed boundaries, striving to create something truly new and exciting for the industry. We couldn’t be prouder of the groundwork we’ve laid together.”
“As we prepare for this next step,” Hook continued, “our talented team members will explore new opportunities… From the day we formed Jar of Sparks to this very moment, this team has accomplished remarkable feats, proving that a small A focused and dedicated group can achieve great results. We thank each of them for their bravery, skill and friendship.”
Jar of Sparks’ announcement doesn’t explicitly mention layoffs, but a separate post from Hook says the studio “will be working over the coming weeks to find new homes for our entire team as we close out our first project,” suggesting that most of the staff will leave after today’s news. Eurogamer has contacted Jar of Sparks for clarification and NetEase about their current relationship with the studio.
“Thank you to everyone who supported us during our journey here at Jar of Sparks,” the statement concludes. “We look forward to informing everyone about the next step in our journey.”
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