NetEase Games Announces New Studio – Jar of Sparks

NetEase Games has just announced the opening of a new AAA studio based in the US called – Jar of Sparks, which is lead Jerry Hook who was the former Head of Design for Halo Infinite.

Jar of Sparks is a new first party studio that will enjoy full creative freedom as part of NetEase Games. The company is formed by a team of industry veterans who have worked on some of the biggest franchises in video game history.

Jerry is a pioneer in the game industry, having helped launch the the original Xbox as well as a founding member of the Xbox Live. He has held executive roles across multiple disciplines for the Halo and Destiny franchises, most recently as the aforementioned Head of Design for Halo Infinite.

The studio is currently based in Seattle and is looking to recruit globally as has a team of industry leading creators who desire to build brand new franchises, with all new characters, stories, and worlds, to inspire the imagination of players all over the world.

CEO & Studio Head Jerry Hook, will be joined by Creative Director Paul Crocker, who acted as Lead Narrative Director on the Batman: Arkham trilogy, and as Assistant Creative Director on Halo Infinite; Executive Producer Greg Stone, who worked as a producer on DOOM (2016) and Halo Infinite.

Gameplay Director Steve Dyck, who worked as both an Animation Director and a Design Director for many AAA games including the SSX franchise, NBA Street franchise and the Halo franchise (4, 5, and Infinite) and most recently the Character and Combat Director for Halo Infinite will also be part of the team.

Jar of Spark’s mission to create a new generation of narrative-driven action games, with immersive worlds that will be filled with moments that gamers will want to share with each other. To do this, we aim to form a diverse and collaborative team of talented creators that will bring whole new worlds to life.

Jerry Hook mentioned: “We have built games for some of the biggest companies in gaming, and now it’s time to take a shot at putting our own personal lightning in a bottle. We want to create something new, innovative and that’s a blast to play. When looking to create a new studio the most critical part of finding the right partner was being aligned on the fundamental goals of having the freedom to take innovative risks and to put the passion of our creators first. This meant that our player experiences came before the business, which itself is a risk. NetEase came to the table with a strong creative first approach; they demonstrated the same passion we have for our players and building new experiences that we believe players are looking for.”

For those who are interested Jar of Sparks and would like to inquire more details about the studio, do check out their official website here.

There have also listed some new job openings, and for those who are interested, can head over to their LinkedIn page for more details.

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