Jar of Sparks Pauses Operations to Seek New Publishing Partner

The Seattle-based game studio, Jar of Sparks, recently informed its team that development on their first game is on hold as they search for a new publishing partner. Studio founder Jerry Hook took to LinkedIn to share the update, expressing pride in the progress made on the game so far. Established in July 2024 with support from the Chinese entertainment powerhouse NetEase, it seems that NetEase is no longer backing the project with publishing resources.

Hook shared, “Our journey has been marked by a passionate, driven, and inventive team ready to take bold risks, breaking new ground in the gaming industry. We’re thrilled with what we’ve built together up to this point. As we look forward to the next phase, our talented team is exploring new prospects. If you’re in the market for exceptional professionals who are innovative and forward-thinking, we’d be delighted to introduce you to some of the best developers I’ve ever worked with.”

Interestingly, Jar of Sparks isn’t alone in this predicament. Just a couple of months ago, another NetEase-supported studio, Worlds Untold, announced a halt on its own debut game’s development.