Halo Infinite Design Head's Studio Cancels First Game Project

Summary

• Development on Jar of Sparks' first game project has been halted, and the studio is actively seeking a new publishing partner.
• NetEase, a major video game company, is currently supporting live-service titles like Once Human and Marvel Rivals.
• Former Halo Infinite head Jerry Hook left 343 Industries and Microsoft back in 2022 and formed Jar of Sparks in the same year.

Former Halo Infinite head of design Jerry Hook has announced that his first-party developer Jar of Sparks under NetEase has halted development on its first game project. Hook left 343 Industries and Microsoft in 2022, and his new venture with Jar of Sparks and NetEase was touted as the "next generation of narrative-driven action games." The lack of updates from the studio since its inception has often been a concerning sign, and now it's official: Jar of Sparks is on the hunt for a new publishing partner.

NetEase, a Chinese technology company founded by Ding Lei in 1997, is a major player in the global gaming industry, offering online PC and mobile games alongside advertising services and e-commerce in China. Currently, NetEase is dedicated to supporting its live-service titles such as Once Human and the hero shooter Marvel Rivals, set to launch in December 2024. Following a successful debut, Marvel Rivals unveiled its Season 1 Battle Pass skins, and NetEase is gearing up for the much-anticipated addition of the Fantastic Four to the 6v6 PvP game on January 10.

In a LinkedIn post, Hook confirmed that the Jar of Sparks team would be pausing work on their current title while they search for a new publisher. The team is eager to find a partner who can "help bring our creative vision to life." Since its inception in 2022, Jar of Sparks has been taking "bold risks and pushing boundaries" to create something innovative and exciting for the gaming industry, according to Hook. He also expressed pride in the foundational work the team has accomplished.

NetEase's Jar of Sparks Studio Halts Development on First Game Project

While layoffs were not explicitly mentioned in Hook’s post, he emphasized that the next step would involve the studio’s team members "exploring new opportunities." In a separate post, Hook confirmed that the studio would be working to "find all of our team new homes as we close our first project" over the coming weeks. This isn't the first instance of a veteran from a major video game franchise launching a new studio with NetEase; former Resident Evil producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi established GPTRACK50 Studios in 2022 under the same publisher.

The Halo series, where Hook previously made his mark, has experienced a rocky period with Halo Infinite's post-launch support and the underwhelming Paramount+ live-action series. As Jar of Sparks takes a temporary break from project development, the Halo franchise might be poised for a comeback. With 343 Industries rebranding to Halo Studios and future titles being developed on Unreal Engine, these changes could breathe new life into the franchise.

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