Still Wakes the Deep Studio Goes Its Own Way
The Chinese Room, renowned for its compelling narrative-driven games like Dear Esther and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, most recently garnered acclaim from gamers with Still Wakes the Deep. This creative studio has now reached a significant milestone: it has reclaimed its independence by splitting from Sumo Digital. This move is crucial for the studio to regain creative control and boldly pursue new projects. This development could also be a promising step for the future of independent game development.
The Team Behind Still Wakes the Deep Is Now Independent
In a statement to IGN, it was announced that The Chinese Room will now operate as a fully independent studio. Ed Daly, who assumed the studio’s management, stated that this process was made possible through a management buyout. This separation, which was achieved with the support of venture capital firm Hiro Capital, has paved the way for The Chinese Room to once again develop projects with its own vision.
The Chinese Room’s independence opens new doors not only in terms of creative control but also in terms of the diversity of its projects. It has been announced that they are currently working on two other original IPs, in addition to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, developed in collaboration with Paradox Interactive. While details of these projects have not yet been released, expectations are quite high considering the studio’s previous work.
Studio director Ed Daly stated that this independence allows them to express their creative desires more freely. He also emphasized that they will not only focus on their own projects but will also be able to collaborate with other game projects that align with their vision. This demonstrates The Chinese Room’s commitment to a flexible and visionary production process.
Spike Laurie, a partner at Hiro Capital, stated that The Chinese Room holds significant value for both the British games industry and global gaming culture. Laurie emphasized the need to support such UK-based creative studios without selling them to large international companies, and that preserving The Chinese Room’s unique voice is crucial for the entire industry.
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