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Still Wakes the Deep Studio The Chinese Room Announces Management Buyout, Gaining Independence from Sumo Digital

The Chinese Room, the acclaimed British indie studio behind last year's oil rig horror game Still Wakes the Deep, has now officially cut ties with its former parent company Sumo Digital.

The studio, which also developed indie darlings Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, has now completed a management buyout, a spokesperson for The Chinese Room has confirmed to IGN.

Today's news follows an uncertain few months for the Brighton-based studio, after Sumo's previous announcement it would be refocusing its efforts "exclusively on development services for partners", rather than continuing its work on original franchises.

In a message to press today, The Chinese Room said it had looked "increasingly likely" the company would be sold off by Sumo Digital, likely to a private equity firm or another overseas buyer — Sumo itself having been acquired by Chinese giant Tencent in 2018.

Instead, The Chinese Room will now be run as an indepedent entity headed up by studio director Ed Daly, following a deal facilitated by venture capital firm Hiro Capital.

"This management buyout allows us to scratch the creative itch of continuing to work on new, original intellectual property, but also to partner with other studios on other projects when they fit in with our vision," Daly said. "This is what we are doing and we want to carry on doing it, so we're happy to carry on in this vein."

Still Wakes the Deep Studio The Chinese Room Announces Management Buyout, Gaining Independence from Sumo Digital - IGN

The Chinese Room, the acclaimed British indie studio behind last year's oil rig horror game Still Wakes the Deep, has now officially cut ties with its former parent company Sumo Digital.

www.ign.com

 

[Varteras]

Sooo The Chinese Room, a British company, was bought by another British company called Sumo Digital (not even Japanese), which was bought by a Chinese company, and now The Chinese Room is celebrating its independence. Hmmmm now for our next trick, have Saudi Aramco buy Bank of America.

 

[Gitaroo]

Sumo digital is a tech powerhouse, what are they working on now? same with Qloc, haven't heard from them since they got acquired by recent? They were pretty good at porting, are they full time tech support for tencent internally?

 

[Hudo]

Are they still working on the Vampire The Masquerade game or have Paradox pulled the plug?

 

[Fahdis]

 

[Dazraell]

Are they still working on the Vampire The Masquerade game or have Paradox pulled the plug?

It's apparently set for release this October

 

[Denton]

Where does the Chinese Room even get the money? Still Wakes the Deep didn't seem like some huge hit that could facilitate this, and they have no other recent games under their belt.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Chances are below 0 for Bloodlines 2 to end up being good.

 

[genesisblock]

Where does the Chinese Room even get the money? Still Wakes the Deep didn't seem like some huge hit that could facilitate this, and they have no other recent games under their belt.

Maybe the sales was just enough to be able to to make profit on their current outfit.

 

[Flabagast]

Good for them. I like them

 

[SomeNorseGuy]

Always good to see. But the big hurdle they're facing is survivng the release of Bloodlines 2.

 

[Buggy Loop]

Always good to see. But the big hurdle they're facing is survivng the release of Bloodlines 2.

Well then they must be confident?

To take ownership before Bloodline 2 release would make no sense if they fear it will crash and burn

 

[Punished Miku]

Always good to see. But the big hurdle they're facing is survivng the release of Bloodlines 2.

Paradox is the publisher. Developers just get a paycheck while working on it. At most a bonus at the end.

 

[Toots]

Where does the Chinese Room even get the money? Still Wakes the Deep didn't seem like some huge hit that could facilitate this, and they have no other recent games under their belt.

 

[SomeNorseGuy]

Well then they must be confident?

To take ownership before Bloodline 2 release would make no sense if they fear it will crash and burn

It's been in development hell for so long now that who knows. They've been quiet lately, so could be that they manage to stick a strong landing.

Paradox is the publisher. Developers just get a paycheck while working on it. At most a bonus at the end.

Still, let's hope the 2 unannounced projects they're working on get a bit more traction. I'd hate to see them closing down.

 

[corgiix3]

I just need bloodlines 2 to be a minimum 7/10 and i wont crash out. Loved the first game

 

[Clear]

Everybody's gone to the rapture was such a piece of shit in my opinion that I've steered hard away from anything with their name on since.

 

[Rush2112]

Game informer is going to do a special on bloodlines 2. I am 100% confident it will be a terrible game. There is not a single person on that team who developed the original game.