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Renowned British studio The Chinese Room, known for narrative titles such as Dear Esther and Still Wakes the Deep, has announced that it has successfully “bought out its contract” from Sumo Digital, becoming independent once again. Alongside working on two new original projects and continuing its collaboration on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 with Paradox Interactive, The Chinese Room shows no signs of slowing down.
The decision to buy back its contract came after Sumo Group announced a shift in business focus toward development services in February 2025, which no longer aligned with The Chinese Room’s need for funding new original projects. “We were working on new ideas that required investment, which was no longer possible under Sumo’s new model,” studio director Ed Daly explained in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz.
Daly confirmed that layoffs occurred during preparations for independence, reducing the team to 55 developers. “It was a very difficult period as we searched for the studio’s future outside Sumo,” he said, adding that no further layoffs are planned.
Independence has also brought changes in studio leadership. John McCormack, who has served as art director since 2018 and took over directing Still Wakes the Deep after Dan Pinchbeck’s departure in 2023, has been appointed creative director. Additionally, Ross Mantonm, formerly executive producer on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, will assume the role of production director.
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