Jar of Sparks, NetEase's Studio, Pauses First Game Project; Seeks New Publisher
Jerry Hook, former Halo Infinite design lead, announced that his studio, Jar of Sparks, a NetEase subsidiary, has temporarily halted development on its inaugural game project. Hook established Jar of Sparks in 2022 after leaving 343 Industries and Microsoft. The studio, aiming to create "next-generation narrative-driven action games," is now actively searching for a new publishing partner to help realize its creative vision.
NetEase, a global gaming giant, currently supports live-service titles such as Once Human and Marvel Rivals. The latter, launched in December 2024, recently unveiled its Season 1 Battle Pass and is preparing for the arrival of the Fantastic Four in January 2025.
Hook's LinkedIn post confirmed the development pause, emphasizing the team's commitment to finding a partner capable of supporting their ambitious goals. He expressed pride in the team's innovative work and the groundwork laid thus far. While layoffs weren't explicitly mentioned, a subsequent post indicated the studio will assist team members in finding new roles in the coming weeks as the first project concludes.
This isn't NetEase's first collaboration with a veteran game developer. In 2022, former Resident Evil producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi founded GPTRACK50 Studios under the same publisher.
The news comes amidst a period of transition for the Halo franchise, which has faced challenges with Halo Infinite's post-launch content and the reception of the Paramount+ series. 343 Industries' rebranding to Halo Studios and the shift to Unreal Engine for future titles may signal a potential resurgence for the franchise. Meanwhile, Jar of Sparks' temporary pause presents an opportunity for the studio to secure a publishing partnership that best aligns with its long-term vision.
[See at Official Site]
