Jar of Sparks Pauses Operations to Seek New Publishing Partner

Jar of Sparks, a Seattle-based studio, recently informed its team that it is temporarily halting development on its first game as it seeks a new publishing partner. This update came from studio founder Jerry Hook, who shared the news on LinkedIn, expressing pride in the progress made on the game thus far. Launched in July 2024, Jar of Sparks was initially supported by NetEase, a major player in the Chinese entertainment industry. However, it seems NetEase is no longer backing the studio’s debut endeavor.

Hook wrote about the journey the team has undertaken: “Our passionate, driven, and innovative team has taken bold risks and pushed boundaries, all in the pursuit of creating something truly new and exciting for the industry.”

Despite the pause, Hook emphasized the pride they feel in what they’ve accomplished together. He added, “As we look toward what comes next, our talented team members will be exploring new opportunities. If you’re on the hunt for exceptional professionals who are innovative and driven, feel free to reach out. I’d be delighted to connect you with some of the best developers I’ve been privileged to work alongside.”

This marks the second NetEase-supported studio to pause its work recently—back in November, Worlds Untold also announced it was suspending development on its inaugural project.