The Chinese Room Becomes Independent, Leaves Sumo Digital

The Chinese Room, the British independent studio behind the horror game Still Wakes the Deep, has officially severed ties with its former parent company, Sumo Digital.

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

Today’s news follows several months of uncertainty for the Brighton-based studio, after Sumo’s previous announcement that it would focus efforts “exclusively on development services for partners” rather than continuing work on original franchises.

In a statement today, The Chinese Room said it seemed “increasingly likely” the company would be sold by Sumo Digital—potentially to a private equity firm or overseas buyer. Sumo itself was acquired by Chinese giant Tencent in 2018.

Instead, The Chinese Room will now operate as an independent entity led by studio director Ed Daly, following a deal facilitated by venture capital firm Hiro Capital.

“This management buyout allows us to satisfy the creative need to keep working on new original IP, while also partnering with other studios on projects when they fit our vision,” said Daly. “This is what we do and want to continue doing, so we’re pleased to keep operating this way.”

Following last month’s release of Still Wakes the Deep and announced Siren’s Rest DLC pack, The Chinese Room now has two new intellectual properties in development.

The next scheduled release, however, remains the highly anticipated Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, launching this October via Paradox Interactive.