Jar of Sparks halts production on debut game as it looks for new publisher

Seattle-based studio Jar of Sparks has stopped development on its first project as it looks for a new publisher.

In a statement posted to LinkedIn, founder and CEO Jerry Hook said team members would be “exploring new opportunities” as the studio looks for a publishing partner “who can help bring [its] creative vision to life.”

“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,” wrote Hook.

“As we prepare for this next step, our talented team members will be exploring new opportunities.”

It is unclear how many employees have been affected by the decision.

In a separate post on LinkedIn, Hook noted that the studio would be “working over the next few weeks to find all of [its] team new homes” as the project comes to a close.

Jar of Sparks was announced in 2022 as an in-house studio for NetEase led by Hook. He was joined by creative director Paul Crocker, executive producer Greg Stone, and gameplay director Steve Dyck.

Hook previously worked for 343 Industries as head of design on Halo Infinite. He also worked as business director for the Destiny franchise at Bungie and spent 11 years at Microsoft.