NetEase pulls funding for another studio: Former Halo Infinite design head says Jar of Sparks is 'halting work' while it looks for a new publisher

Gaming IndustryNetEase pulls funding for another studio: Former Halo Infinite design head says Jar of Sparks is ‘halting work’ while it looks for a new publisherWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: Jar of Sparks)

Jar of Sparks website background image - three rocket-like things launching from a planet, I think

“Earlier today, we notified our team that Jar of Sparks will be halting work on our current title as we search for a new publishing partner who can help bring our creative vision to life,” Hook wrote in a message posted on January 7. “Throughout this journey, our passionate, driven, 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, our talented team members will be exploring new opportunities. If you’re searching for exceptional professionals who are driven and think outside the box, please reach out. We’d be more than happy to connect you with some of the best developers I have had the pleasure of working beside.”

If this feels oddly familiar, you might be thinking about Worlds Untold, the NetEase studiofounded in 2023with BioWare veteran Mac Walters at its head. That studio also had big aspirations—to “create IPs with depth and possibility that can’t be contained in a single game, or even a single medium”—and Walters, as did Hook, praised NetEase as the ideal partner for the new venture. In November 2024, it too “paused operations” after NetEase decided to halt financing.

It may also point to a broader shift in priorities at NetEase, which said when it ended funding for Worlds Untold that “current market conditions have required us to reassess and prioritise our opportunities.” Numerous other companies have cited “market conditions” as justification for layoffs and closures over the past couple years and that’s no doubt part of it, but NetEase also recently renewed its deal tooperate Blizzard games in China, which the company said in its November 2024financial resultshas “reignited historic level of player community enthusiasm” and seen a significant increase in pre-shutdown player numbers. The company may simply be looking to retrench with guaranteed money-makers, rather than rolling the dice on all-new projects.

I’ve reached out to NetEase for comment and will update if I receive a reply.

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